1.0 Introduction
Cooperative movement all over the world has been considered or taken as both means and instrument of development where by individual as a group of people with common social-economic problems. In our country Nigeria today, sources of statement have been made in the newspaper and other newspaper and other news media, by scholars allocating the use of cooperative societies for the development and improvement of living standard of the rural people.
Meanwhile many programmes have been landed by the federal government in support of this rural development such as Agricultural Development Authority (NALDA), Directorate of Food Road and Rural Infrastructures (DIFFRI), Better Life Programmes (BLP) etc.
Recently, the family support programmes (FSP) which has landed by the federal government which aims at improving the life of the rural dwell through the formation of cooperative movement. Cooperative movement spans through many aspects of our economic life such as production, consumption, distribution, thrift saving and provision of rural infrastructures.
1.1 Background Of The Study
In Nigeria, most inhabitants survive through agriculture and their main occupation is subsistence farming which attracted the interest of many cooperatives societies in Nigeria, both the old and new ones. Improving the agricultural productions has main target and at the same time lifting the level of its size and qualities. Most of the crop couldn’t grow well in order to produce yams, cassava stem, vegetable and tuber etc.
In the sixties, Mbaise L.G.A economy had a mono-sectoral dependency on agriculture as the main source of earning, and also the main source of employment. Then, we took one leaf from this dependency on agriculture to a higher dependency on trade and white collar job.
Mbaise L.G.A agricultural is still complete presented hoe, cutlass economy with a large number of small scale holder producers. One can observe that Mbaise L.G.A still semi-substantial production can neither feed the tearing population nor provide essential raw materials for the agro-based industries. The export of the L.G.A major cash crops, which has in the past supported the economy, has virtually stopped.
While a lot of observes dwell on the urgent need to reinitialize this sector, Omuma (1986) implied the adverse effects of no re-initialization of the agricultural sector noted that under such conditions all it needed was famine and kwashiorkor to be evidence in the village.
Furthermore, one wondered why, it is taking the L.G.A so long despite its abundant land and know how reinitialized the agricultural sector and save the inhabitants stricken and under nourished, while emphasizing the importance of improving agricultural productions, through cooperative societies. Nigerians (1996) said, it is now on the external source of foods because it has ties their L.G.A independence to the uncertainties of ridiculed.
According to the Mbaise L.G.A Food Journal (1991), agriculture was the backbone of the estates economy development to thousands of Mbaise L.G.A. indigenes over 95% of the labour force, mostly from rural areas. Agriculture produce feeds for animals that provide protein for man. All these made the government to organize these present farmers into agricultural cooperative societies with the view of having massive food production in the economy.
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
Nigeria has embarked on various programmes and policies, costing hundreds of millions of naira aimed at receiving the depressed agricultural sector. In view of this, agricultural cooperative societies in Nigeria was instituted so as to organize the small scale farmers who are still involve in mammal labour types of farming in cooperative society and had failed to produce enough food for our teaming population thereby forcing the country to be involved in importance of large quantity of food with a huge percentages declared in agricultural exports.
All these government efforts have not actually had enough significant improvement in this sector as much emphasis is now being placed on agriculture. This call for urgent re-examinations of the role of these agricultural products, its aim of facilitating the attainment of self sufficient in agriculture and making agriculture to take its prime position in the national economy of this country.
1.3 Objectives Of The Study
The broad objective of the study is the importance of improving agricultural production through the activities of agricultural cooperatives in Nigeria and other objective includes:
- To examine the organizational structure and the operation of cooperative movement in Mbaise local government areas.
- To examine the impact of the farmers cooperative societies.
- To investigate the problems facing the farmers cooperative societies.
- To suggest way and means for enhancing the effectiveness of these societies and assist in future research into contemporary issues on this manner.
- To make recommendations based on the findings.
1.4 Research Questions
- How would you examine the organizational structure and the operation of cooperative movement in Mbaise L.G.A?
- What are the impacts of the farmer’s cooperative societies in Nigeria?
- What is the investigation of the problem facing the farmer’s cooperative societies in Nigeria?
- What are the suggested way and means for enhancing the effectiveness of these societies and assisting in future research?
- How do you think agricultural production can be improved?
- In what ways have government helped in improving agricultural production?
1.5 Significance Of The Study
The importance of improving agricultural production through cooperatives societies in Nigeria especially in Mbaise L.G.A as their source of earning food and money for their survival both man and animals around. It is also provision of raw materials for the agro-based industries, which helps in the production facilities programs.
Cooperative society is the coming together of different people in order to achieve a common goals and objectives of the society. Then, therefore, they teamed up in Mbaise L.G.A to cultivate and supply masses with food and also feed themselves with their families.
1.6 Scope Of The Study
This study will attempt to examine the policies of Mbaise local government development in agricultural production. The constant in achieving the desired development in agriculture and providing a possible solution to overcome them shall also be examined in this project.
1.7 Limitation Of The Study
The researcher encountered a lot of constraints/problems especially in gathering facts due to the degree of confidential information involved. This includes:
Time:
Due to the hectic academic schedule, the researcher has been handicapped by inadequacy of time to take a more detailed research. Also within the time available, it has not been easy to contact most of the local government areas cooperative farmland whose farm labour requirement is largely supplies by his family.
Distance:
The distance from to Mbaise makes it difficult to get all the needed information.
Finance:
Due to high cost of the study, the researcher was unable to provide adequate fund for detailed study.
Poor Response to the Questionnaire and Lack of Research Facilities:
This prevents idealism gathering of genuine facts in most cases.
1.8 Definition Of Terms
Agricultural Productivity:
This is the index of the ratio of the value of the total farm output of the value of the input used in farm productions.
Farm Management:
The application of farming science is technology, the farm solution of the problem facing the farm everyday.
Bye Laws:
In this content, the registered bye-laws made by a cooperative society and which governs the activities of such society and which is made by a society in the exercise of any power conferred by the cooperative society law.
Scale Individual Farms:
This implies a farmer whose total cultivatable counterparts, the nation of Nigeria, not to the world. If they are organized in cooperative increased productivity enhanced the profit maximized to them and the farming will once more look attracting.
Auxiliary Cooperative:
This is the type of cooperative society that provides individual service to members. The cooperative main function which provides credit supply, market and storage. The cooperatives have no handle in the supervision and management affairs of member farms.
Productive Cooperatives:
In the content there is a full integration. The cooperative absorbs all the member economic responsibilities are borne to be the cooperative societies which are found in Mbaise local government area. This is cooperative by integrated. The farmers depend on society for his production activities. There is a strong link between the cooperative and member in areas of management facing them.
