In Monquentiva, a village in the municipality of Guatavita in Colombia, three genera tions of farmers associated with the COLEGA de Guatavita Cooperative are demon- strating that their cooperative tradition allows them to face with optimism some of the great challenges posed by the global changes affecting humanity. The cooperative, managed by José Ignacio Tamayo and presided by Elías Romero, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, reaching higher and higher levels of welfare for its 50 members, thanks to a practical interpretation of cooperatives under its particular social, environmental, economic and political conditions.