TERO's services and activities aim to meet the requirements of various categories of stakeholders, both in France and internationally: smallholders and livestock farmers, SPOs, decentralized and deconcentrated public services, bilateral and multilateral development agecnies, territorial authorities, donors, social solidarity economy institutions, as well as private companies in the context of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
TERO supports rural communities, particularly those in situations of vulnerability, in generating sustainable revenues and livelihoods. It also empowers these communities to take control of their development and develop greater autonomy and food sovereignty.
TERO contributes to improve family farming performances, and to the recognition of the role of family farming in facing the food, employment, ecological and climate challenges of the 21st century.
It contributes to strengthen rural development stakeholders and to the creation of bonds of solidarity and cooperation between such stakeholders, whether rural or urban, public or private, across its countries of action.
The Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif (Scic), created by the law 2001-624 of the 17th of July 2001, is a cooperative company which:
Allows the association of several stakeholders around the same project: employees, producers, beneficiaries, volunteers, end users, public authorities, businesses, organizations and individuals.
Produces goods or services that fulfil the collective need of a specific area.
Respects the cooperative rules: distribution of power, involvement of all the members in the organization and major management decisions of the company.
Takes part in a general process of local and sustainable development.
Has a common interest and a social utility.
In the case of TERO, the SCIC has five categories of members: civil society organizations, professional members, employees, individual and institutional supporters, divided into four Colleges. The Colleges are represented within the Cooperative Council as a SCIC advisory body. The operational management is left to the president and to the employee director of TERO.
The members of the Cooperative Council
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Jean Jacques BOUTROU, President of TERO |
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Pierril LACROIX, Employee’s college of TERO — Director of TERO |
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Charlène NICOLAY, Civil society organization’s college associated with TERO – Consultant |
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Hubert CATHALA, Expert’s college associated with TERO – Consultant |
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Joseph LEBLANC, Individual and institutional supporter’s college of TERO, institutional support category – Manager of Terracoopa, a service and expertise cooperative |
Originally created by 51 associates in 2015, individuals or corporate entities, TERO now relies on the expertise of 82 members.
60 experienced agricultural and rural development professionals, based in Europe, Africa and Latin America, deliver services in the areas of livestock farming and animal health, food-chain and markets, resources management and agroecology, territorial development and institutional strengthening, and food security.
Four institutional members contribute their thematic skills, experience and network, as well as their experience in the management of cooperative companies:
ETHIQUABLE, a cooperative company specialized in the marketing of fair trade products from French or southern farmer organizations.
SENS Solidarités Entreprises Nord-Sud, a cooperative company which aims to support entrepreneurs.
Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF), a French NGO which offers technical assistance for rural development and provides TERO its skills, foundations and networks in more than 20 countries.
Terracoopa, a young French cooperative company which provides services and expertise in the fields of organic agriculture and environment.
Learn more about our institutional members...
Moreover, TERO's 79 members draw on a wider network of people, resources and institutional partners based in their different countries of origin. In particular, TERO builds on its participation in the AVSF GROUP with its 450 professionals, women and men, pursuance of a sustainable and fair development of territories, as well as the promotion of a social and solidarity economy.
TERO experts are skilled men and women who put their energy and expertise at the service of the rural populations, in the respect of their identities and values.
As a SCIC (Cooperative Company of Collective Interest), TERO also supports the fundamental values of creativity, co-construction, cooperative transparency and governance, sustainability through indivisible reserves and solidarity with other companies working for the development of a social and solidarity economy.
The associate experts participate in TERO's development through an ethical approach, dialog and participation in the company's decision-making processes.