cotó

COTä is a fictional international cooperative network depicted in speculative world-building material, focused on sustainable urban agriculture and community resilience. The name combines the prefix co- to signify cooperation with a constructed term Tä, intended to evoke tangible collective action. In the imagined setting, COTä coordinates thousands of local cooperatives to promote food security, biodiversity, and participatory design across cities.

Etymology and scope: Tä is a coined element in the COTä lexicon, representing a ethos of collaboration and shared stewardship. COTä operates through a distributed governance model that emphasizes local autonomy within a global framework, enabling communities to tailor projects to their ecological and cultural contexts.

History and governance: COTä emerged in late 21st-century world-building narratives as a response to urban food insecurity and climate stress. It gradually formalized into an international network with three tiers: local chapters, regional hubs, and a global council. Decision making relies on consensus and open participation, with roles rotating to encourage broad involvement.

Structure and activities: Local chapters run urban farms, rooftop gardens, and seed banks. Regional hubs coordinate resource sharing, training, and policy advocacy. The open-source SeedsShare platform provides knowledge exchange, gardening techniques, and access to microgrants. Activities include education programs, community-supported agriculture, and collaboration with municipal planners to integrate green infrastructure.

Projects and impact: Notable fictional initiatives include the SkyGarden Pilot, which develops rooftop ecosystems; WaterLoop, a rainwater management program; and SoilLab, a soil-health research network. In-world proponents tout enhanced food security, biodiversity, and social cohesion, while critics point to governance complexity and funding sustainability.

See also: Community garden, cooperative movement, agroecology.