Priorat cooperatives promote VINCLOOP, an agricultural intercooperation network to transform the territory

The agricultural cooperatives of Priorat have joined forces to create VINCLOOP, an intercooperation network that was created with the desire to respond to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing the region. The project has the support of the program “Singular projects for the promotion of the social and solidarity economy, creation of cooperatives and intercooperation projects – Singulars Program”, promoted by the Department of Business and Employment of the Generalitat of Catalonia, through the General Directorate of Social and Solidarity Economy, and Cooperativism.

What is VINCLOOP?

VINCLOOP is much more than a joint project: it is a strategic alliance between ten agricultural cooperatives from Priorat that want to promote a new way of working, collaborative, horizontal and rooted in the territory. This network shares knowledge, experiences and resources to address common challenges such as the lack of generational succession, difficulties in accessing services, the loss of value of local products or the environmental crisis.

The cooperatives driving the project are:

• Falset-Marçà Agricultural and Credit Section (Afalma)
• Priorat Winery and Credit Section
• Agricultural and Credit Section of Cabacés
• Cornudella Cooperative Winery
• Agricultural and Credit Section of La Bisbal de Falset
• Agricultural and Regional Credit Section of Priorat
• Ulldemolins Sant Jaume Agricultural
• El Molar Cooperative Winery
• Bellmunt del Priorat Agricultural Cooperative
• Torroja Agricultural – Center of Priorat

A project for the territory and the people

VINCLOOP starts from a clear principle: the driving force of the region are the people who live and work there. With a democratic and participatory structure, the project aims to put the collective tools of cooperativism at the service of small farmers, of young people who want to take root in the countryside and of the local community that is committed to a rooted, fair and sustainable economy.

The project aims to promote specialized technical services for agricultural operations, promote support programs for new farmers, develop tourism promotion actions linked to the rural world, launch affordable housing initiatives and create local energy communities. All this with a regenerative perspective, which seeks to strengthen the social fabric and preserve the landscape, knowledge and rural life of the Priorat.

The support of the Singulars Program

Thanks to the funding received through the Singulars Program, the cooperatives have been able to activate three key work areas to make VINCLOOP a reality:

1. Definition of the governance system of the intercooperation project:
   The construction of a democratic, participatory and operational governance model has begun, which guarantees the sustainability and continuity of the VINCLOOP network in the medium and long term.
2. Promotion of cooperative logistics and a network of agro-shops:
   The cooperatives have begun to coordinate their agro-shops and study a joint logistics route that connects towns, cooperatives and points of sale in Priorat. The objective is to facilitate access to zero-kilometer products, promote food sovereignty and strengthen the local economy.
3. Systemic collection of agricultural data for generational succession:
   A common system for collecting and analyzing data from members’ farms is being developed. This tool will allow informed decisions to be made, identify opportunities for alternative crops and offer better support to young people who want to start farming.

Looking to the future

With VINCLOOP, the cooperatives of Priorat do not just want to resist: they want to transform. They want to forge alliances, strengthen the community and build real alternatives to address the abandonment of the countryside, the climate crisis and the loss of local sovereignty.

Agricultural cooperativism is thus claimed as a tool for the country and the territory. And the Priorat, true to its identity, demonstrates once again that collaboration is the most solid path forward.

Deposit:

Last November, as part of the Temps de Priorat Enoturisme festival, two episodes of the popular podcast “Els Més Frescos” were recorded at the Celler Cooperatiu de Cornudella. This event was one of the highlights of the festival and featured the participation of the winery’s president in both episodes.

Temps de Priorat Enoturisme is an annual festival that celebrates the wine culture of the Priorat region, one of the most prestigious wine regions in Catalonia. This festival attracts wine lovers, sommeliers, oenologists and tourists from all over who come to enjoy wine tastings, visits to wineries, and cultural activities related to the world of wine. The festival stands out for its ability to combine the historical and natural heritage of Priorat with unique wine tourism experiences.

“Els Més Frescos” is a podcast dedicated to exploring the stories, people and innovations behind the world of wine. Through interviews with experts, winemakers and other players in the sector, the podcast offers a unique and entertaining vision of the wine scene. The recording of the two episodes at the Celler Cooperatiu de Cornudella was an opportunity to highlight the particularities of Priorat and share them with its audience.

Francesc Adzerias, president of the winery, was one of the guests in both episodes, offering his perspective and sharing interesting anecdotes about the winery and its evolution over the years.

The recording of these two episodes of the podcast “Els Més Frescos” was not only a success during the festival, but also had a significant impact on the promotion of Priorat as a wine tourism destination. The episodes have been listened to by thousands of people, helping to highlight the cultural and wine-making richness of the region. In addition, the collaboration with the Celler Cooperatiu de Cornudella has strengthened the ties between the local wine sector and the global community of wine enthusiasts.

Photos by Gorka Martínez for Priorat Enoturisme.