cCONSEQUENCE OF MEMBERS’ PARTICIPATION ON COOPERATIVE PERFORMANCEIN MULTIPURPOSE AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES AFFILIATED TO AMBO FARMERS’ COOPERATIVE UNION, WEST SHEWA ZONE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Author: MICHAEL SENBETA FEYISA – Ph.D. Candidate

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose cooperative is a business that is a mixture of two or more different types of cooperatives. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of Members’ Participation on cooperative Performance in Multipurpose Agricultural Cooperatives in Ambo Farmers’ Cooperative Union West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia of West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A descriptive research design was used where quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to collect and analyze data. The target population for this particular research was 1060 members from 11 primary farmers’ cooperative societies. These cooperatives were organized under four districts. (Ambo, Dandi, Ejere lafo and Toke kutaye). In the area of the study, the nature of primary farmers’ cooperative is too homogeneous. All primary cooperatives understudy has been working similar activities and the same type of cooperative society. A sample (n=290) was drawn using a two-stage stratified random sampling procedure and it comprised of 11 cooperative members who were purposely selected.Face to face personal interviews were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24). The study found that the performance of multi-purpose cooperatives was influenced highly by educational level, members’ income, amount of shareholding, credit access, farm size, duration of membership, professional employees leading cooperative, position of members in their cooperative,The study further found that the problem of accessibility of market for their product, contribution of members’ in financial activities was found to be low. The above finding revilead to medium level members’ participation which leads medium level of cooperative performance. It is recommended that cooperatives should increase member’ participation. There is need to encourage young farmers to join multi-purpose cooperative since most of the farmers were old. The frequency of training provided to members need to be improved. The study also recommends that other studies be carried out to cover the whole of Ethiopia in order to generalize the findings.

Keywords: Cooperatives, members, participation, Performance

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