Op-eds

Cooperatives are fueling economic growth across the Americas, including in Miami

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A worker sorts coconuts at the El Jobal Cooperative in El Salvador. [photo: Rodrigo Sura/Agencia EFE for Miami Herald]
A new opinion piece published this week by the Miami Herald shows how co-ops are quietly transforming economies from rural America to Latin America—boosting incomes, curbing migration and fueling economic growth from the ground up.

“Across the U.S., cooperatives are no longer fringe solutions—they’re proven engines of economic growth and civic engagement. Scaling these enterprises across Latin America could be transformative,” NCBA CLUSA president and CEO Doug O’Brien writes.

“If just 10% more rural communities adopted cooperative models, the World Bank estimates it could generate $50 billion in regional GDP over the next decade and reduce poverty by up to 8%.”

The op-ed underscores Miami’s strategic position as a bridge between the two regions, serving as hub for cooperative innovation and collaboration.

“The question isn’t whether cooperatives work—it’s how quickly we can scale them to meet the needs of future generations,” O’Brien writes.

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“The question isn’t whether cooperatives work—it’s how quickly we can scale them to meet the needs of future generations.” – Doug O’Brien

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