1.1 Introduction
Cooperative societies constitute the most important aspects of agriculture rural development. It was proposed as a result of the evils of the industrial revolution as of 1750 – 1850. The purpose of agricultural cooperatives is to help farmers increase their yields and incomes by pooling their resources to support collective service provisions and economic empowerment. Given their primary remit to contribute to smallholder farmer production, agricultural cooperatives are seen as critical in achieving the government’s development targets in the Growth and Transformation Plan, and focusing on other types of cooperatives requires an alternative framework for analysis.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
A cooperative is a pan-humane business organization formed by individuals who are desirous of pooling themselves and their resources together to form a democratically controlled organization devoid of pecuniary gain. The uniqueness of cooperative and it's flexibility permits it to be practiced among farmers, fishermen, Artisans, Industrial and commercial workers, drivers, students, market men and women etc.
Osy Obodechi (2006) cooperative may be defined as a voluntary association of persons grappling with the same socio-economic problems and legally constituted to serve the economic needs of its members democratically, providing services at cost or and sharing benefits in proportion to use. Cooperative society helped farmers in numerous ways by providing agricultural equipments, machines and tools to achieve greater out in agricultural farm produce in the rural areas
As Chukwu (1990) put it, the cooperatives is made up of individual farmers, who have joined together to form a cooperative establishment for collective production. However, the society provides education to the rural farmers concerning the use of machines to avoid break down in production. these machines and equipment include investors, tractor and tillage which enhance large scale production, these machines can be hired or bought from the government with the influence of the registered cooperatives societies.
Prior to the cooperative ordinance of 1935, there exist some cooperatives which includes traditional cooperative institution I e saving club commonly known as Esusu and auxiliary cooperative society. Cooperative societies as a vehicle for promoting the interest of rural farmer and enhance their own individual welfare starting with the adventure of the Rochdale pioneer in 1844 in England. This medium enable the society to enter successfully into provision of agro processing facilities which cause positive change in the development of agriculture in the rural areas. Rural areas in developing countries have agriculture as the main stay of their economy, therefore any effort in developing the rural areas must address agricultural development.
According to Okeke E. U. (1999), Agricultural cooperatives are cooperatives found in all the sub sectors of agriculture .these sub sector of agriculture are crop production .livestock, forestry and wild life.
S.Y Berko (2001), Agricultural producer cooperatives are cooperative whose members are agriculturist or agricultural producers. Therefore, for the rural farmers to be involved in the agro processing facilities, they must be familiar with the modern method and accept the institution involved such as: careful handling and maintenance of the facilities to avoid break down and enhance long term usage of the facilities.
Accepting technical assistance in response to specific problem improving the standard of the sustenance population involves the rural dwellers to accept the mobilization and allocation of resources and facilities to reach a desirable balance over time between the welfare and population service available to rural populace mass participation required that equipment should be allowed to poor farmers.
Therefore, in Imo state where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the An Analysis of the Role of Co-operative Societies in the Provision of Agro Processing Facilities in the Rural Areas.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The present condition of farmers and rural dwellers in Nigeria is unsatisfactory, the image of poverty, hunger, disease totally disorganize the farming and agriculture sectors.
The percentage of the total population engaged in agriculture is diminishing ,villages that are known for agricultural production has reduced since the invention of oil at Oloibiri in Bayelsa state 1956 .Farming activities have been on low rate ,rural urban migration take effect since their is know incentives given to this farmers and as such lack facilities to enhance production. Farmer in Nigeria with reference to rural dwellers face major setback such as.
Economic Problem: This is primitive system of farming which made it possible to be more of subsistence economy .poverty captured the rural farmer since they can not afford the facilities required for production.
Agricultural Problem: The land tenure system makes it difficult to acquire large piece of land for modern large scale farming. The government owns the big portion of land, the private sectors took to an extent which makes it difficult for the rural farmer to acquire.
Social Problem: This involves absence of storage facilities, inadequate research, poor technological net work and infrastructure.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to analyse the Role of Co-operative Societies in the Provision of Agro Processing Facilities in the Rural Areas using any Selected Farmers Multipurpose Co-operative societies in Imo state as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To study the economic activities carried out by the cooperative society in the provision of agro processing facilities in the rural acres.
- To study the ways of improving agro processing facilities.
- To identify the problem faced by cooperative society in their bid to contribute to the development of agro processing facilities in selected multipurpose cooperative society in Imo state.
- To study the perception and function of it member about the cooperative society.
- To make policy recommendation based on the finding of this research work.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What are the economic activities carried out by the cooperative society in the provision of agro processing facilities in the rural acres?
- Is there any significant way of improving agro processing facilities?
- What are the problems faced by cooperative society in their bid to contribute to the development of agro processing facilities in selected multipurpose cooperative society in Imo state?
- What are the perception and function of it member about the cooperative society?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There is no significant way of improving agro processing facilities of cooperative society in Imo state
- H1: There is a significant way of improving agro processing facilities of cooperative society in Imo state
1.7 Significance of Study
This study is of benefit to members of cooperatives societies since it shows to what extent cooperative societies contributes to the development of agro processing facilities to rural area. It checks the problem facing the society toward the provision of these agro facilities to the rural areas.
To the non members, rural dwellers they are encourage to join an existing cooperative society or form one to improve on their agricultural practices through the introduction of modern agro processing facilities to the rural areas.
It will also be of interest to the Federal, state and local government by using the data from the study in formation of policies that concerns agricultural development to the rural populace.
The great concern which various government of Africa show in recent times towards agro processing facilities is encouraging when viewed against the relative neglect of these areas in spite of their importance in Nigeria, this significances is stated above.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the An Analysis of the Role of Co-operative Societies in the Provision of Agro Processing Facilities in the Rural Areas using any Selected Farmers Multipurpose Co-operative societies in Imo state as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Co-operative Societies: This could be defined as an autonomous, voluntary, open association of persons, in a sociological sense. With variable membership and variable capital whose members have pulled their resources on mutual assistant through a business organization to achieve their needs.
Agro Facilities: This means all those equipments, machines, tools used in promoting agriculture for large scale production. It is a better means of production technologically rather than the traditional tools used in operation.
Populace: This has to do with the common people, the general public and the masses of a particular area.
