The Contribution Of Agriculture Cooperative Societies To Food Production (A Case Study Selected Agricultural Cooperative Societies In Enugu North Local Government Area, Enugu State

The Contribution Of Agriculture Cooperative Societies To Food Production (A Case Study Selected Agricultural Cooperative Societies In Enugu North Local Government Area, Enugu State

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 Study’s Background

Since the dawn of time, food, clothing, and shelter have been man’s top priorities, followed by agriculture. One of the oldest industries, agriculture dates back to the earliest human cultures. The ability of the individual to hunt and gather food for sustenance was essential for man’s survival from the prehistoric age up until the era of ancient civilization. However, his primary source of energy for his ongoing struggle for survival and wandering was food. However, early man made an effort to produce crops after realizing that food was a necessary requirement for living.

Despite the challenges it faces, agriculture is still the most significant part of the global economy. Agriculture is a fundamental sector that supports all other sectors and can be justified by its importance to the development of a country in all facets of necessity. In rural areas, 75–80% of the working population is involved in agriculture production (farming). Some of them offer employment in certain sectors, such as the textile, brewery, and shoe industries.

With the establishment of companies that use agricultural products in a region, as well as other investors going to rural regions to set up factories, trade, and operate business centers, agriculture contributes to rural development by providing jobs and income. Agriculture provides the raw materials for industry, cotton is used by textile mills, and rubber/latex is used by the plastics industry.

Agriculture includes practical land clearing, including the breaking up of the soil’s top layer, the sowing of seeds, the eradication of weeds from the farm, the harvesting and storage of crops for later sale, as well as the breeding and raising of animals. All of these cooperatives’ activities involve varying degrees of labor, time, expense, and productivity. An aspect of agriculture called agricultural education is concerned with encouraging people to learn about and practice agriculture. This represents a change in attitude about agricultural methods.

1.2 Problem Statement

In order to better the social and economic conditions of their members and the nation as a whole, agricultural cooperatives are heavily involved in the production of food.

Despite these, agricultural cooperatives continue to produce little food because to various distributing issues, which are related to the study.

1. A significant financial investment is required to establish an agricultural cooperative of any size or type.

2. Members participating in in-group agricultural work in the farmland, such as weeding, planting, harvesting, and marketing of farm produce, while disregarding their obligations.

3. Purchasing farm inputs including fertilizer, stem and planting, high producing seeds, and agrochemical pesticides.

4. Issues with distribution, returns on inputs used, and marketing of produce.

1.3 Study Objective

The study’s goal in the area of food production is to examine how agriculture cooperatives may help members and society at large by producing food. This investigation’s goals are:

i. To pinpoint the element that may contribute to the agriculture cooperative’s (Enugu) North’s low food output.

ii. To find out if the identified issues are related to the farm cooperative society.

iii. To look into any government incentives and assistance for agriculture cooperatives that may be present on the farms.

iv. To learn about the approaches and techniques that can be utilized to address the issues associated with low food productivity.

1.4 Research Prompts

The following research questions were developed in order to accomplish the study’s goals or objectives.

i. What are the reasons behind Enugu North Local Government Area’s agriculture cooperatives’ low food production?

ii. How much do the identified issues relate to or are they related to the agricultural cooperative organizations under study?

iii. Does the government offer incentives to agricultural cooperatives?

iv. What shape do government incentives take?

v. What are the approaches or techniques that would make it possible to address the issues associated with low food production?

1.5 Importance Of The Study

The results of this study will help the society understand what it should do to strengthen or improve its economic activity. The federal government, whose stated goal is to use cooperative in rural development and increase the nation’s production capacity, will benefit equally from this research work.

The producer of agricultural products will also profit because the management of agricultural cooperatives in food production will be effective and efficient, ensuring their effective production. This will increase the nation’s food supply and production, which will lower prices for goods. The general public and customers will profit when this is accomplished.

The development of recommendations from this research work will also be very helpful to other co-operative societies in the nation as it well served as reference material from them. When there is an efficient and effective management of agricultural produce in food production, the co-operative societies, especially the rural based ones, will help in that.

1.6 The Study’s Scope And Limitations

In Enugu North L.G.A. in the state of Anambra, a study on the contributions of cooperatives to crop production was conducted with a few chosen agricultural cooperative groups.

The researcher encountered a number of obstacles while attempting to conduct this study, including a lack of data and the unwillingness of some of the co-operative members who were visited to share important information about their societies and how they conduct their business. The researcher’s inability to conduct a more in-depth study was also hampered by a lack of funding.

1.7 Term Definitions

1. Business

This organization of enterprises offers goods and services to its members.

2. Inclusion

This is the action and measure taken to influence a member’s level of awareness, comprehension, and, ultimately, personal emotional feeling toward cooperation in a favorable way.

3. Client Refunds

These are unique rights that members of marketing cooperatives acquire in terms of surplus in proportion to individual members’ turnover under payment.

Cooperative Impact

the level of added satisfaction that a member experiences as a result of joining the cooperative rather than working independently.

5. Social Research Group

This group of people, who each have a different role, shares a common set of values and a well-functioning internal structure.

Reserve Money

Reserve funds are money established and kept on hand by the cooperative business firm for a variety of purposes, but are particularly important as a sort of insurance against unfavorable outcomes.

7. A helpful Nisus

The degree of integration between the private unit and the cooperative business enterprise, as well as the functional interaction between members of business units and cooperative business units.