Brasília, 1/7/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The federal government intends to make more funding available to credit cooperatives which operate with small and medium-sized farmers, says minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues. According to the minister, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has already asked for studies on ways to increase credit cooperativism.

Rodrigues cited two sources of further funding: the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and international credit cooperative institutions. He added that the government is working on mechanisms to expand the availablity of credit cooperativism. (AB)