Assistance includes training in associativism, in leadership and participation, in production organisation and techniques, etc. besides integrating them in the circuit of the extension teams. The cooperatives were born as production cooperatives. Only those who do not remember the times when cabbage was nearly the only basic staple available can ignore the contribution that the cooperatives made in the struggle for survival and dignity. The cooperatives evoived to different fields of production. Without disregarding the vegetable production and the traditional rain fed agriculture, the cooperatives are today involved in poultry raising, in fruit, shade trees, flowers and ornemental plants production, in pottery, in industriel processing, etc.
Production is therefore the main activity, the point of departure and the point of arrival.
The economic projects happen because of the engagement in productive activities or they arise naturally to compl ment the social projects, in many cases providing them with a base of sustainability. The cooperatives have a role to play in the supply of the internal market, in the substitution of imported products, and for this it is clear that there should be increased productivity and increased quality of products in order to be comp titive at internal level, specially because it is foreseen to start producing for export. To this effect, without disregarding the efforts for a greater and more effective protection of the national production, big investments were made in equipment, in training and in technical assistance, with the view to raise production, lower costs, improve quality and level of the products as well as their pr sentation. In one of the hatcheries there is enough space to install 4 new machines for a total of 344,000 eggs, meaning an expansion to a total capacity of incubation of 686,144 eggs. The abattoir comprises also a water treatment unit and a rendering plant.