The City Council of Maio, IMVF partner in Cape Verde, launched on December the 17th the first stone for a cheese cooperative in Ribeira Dom João, Maio Island.
This initiative is aimed at promoting local production and cooperativism and is part of the Programme to Strengthen Decentralised Actors developed by IMVF together with this municipality. When the cheese factory starts the cheese producers of Ribeira Dom João will be able to sell their products with a label and package that highlights the origin and the producer, granting more quality assurance to the consumer. Elevating the quality and good name of the Maio cheese, this certified quality stamp should also lead to increased production.
Financed by the European Union, with its end in December 2013, the Programme to Strengthen Decentralised Actors executed by the Loures Municipality aims at creating participatory democracy mechanisms that strengthen local power to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.