IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION THROUGH CO-OPERATIVE A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA CO-OPERATIVE SOCEITIES
ABSTRACT
The research work on the topic “Improving Agricultural Production Through Cooperative using Enugu North Local Government Area Cooperative as a case of study was carried out survey the programmes and policies constituted by government to mobilize peasant farmers into agricultural cooperative and functional ones more productive as a way of facilitating the attainment of self – sufficiency in agricultural productivity in the country.
The general constraints that affect the achievement of the objective in Enugu North Local Government Area was identified.
These include ill conceived and inefficient extension services. Inadequate farm storage facilities and organize marketing outlets, use of crude farming implements, complex land tenuse system non restriction of membership which might bring in people of characters whose membership may lead to the down fall of the society among others.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FIVE
APPENDIX
BIBLIOGRAPHY
QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
In Enugu State most inhabitants survive through agricultural and main occupation is subsistence farming which attracted the interest of many cooperative societies both existing ones and new initiated ones. Improving the agricultural productions was their main target and interest and at the same time lifting the level of its individuals. Improvement target was both in size and qualities were poor and could not be marketed most of the crops having pest scales and most couldn’t grow well in other to produces as expected. The product that were severally affected were yam tubers, cassava stems and tubers, coco yams vegetables.
According to Mr. Udo Nwabueze in his leaflet printed to educate the public on cooperative titled cooperative for better tomorrow. In the seventies, the Enugu State economy had non sectional dependency on agriculture as the main source for earnings, and the main sources of employment for over teaming population. In the eighties we took one leap, from this dependency on agriculture to a higher dependency on trade and white – colar jobs.
He continued by saying that Enugu State Agriculture is still complete peasentised hoc – cutlass economy with a large member of atomist a small holder producers.
Summarily, one observes that agriculture in Enugu State is s till semi substantial and the output from agricultural production can neither feed the teaming population nor provide the essential raw materials for the agro – based industries. The export of the state’s major cash crop, which has in the past supported the economy, has virtually stopped.
While a lot of observers dwelt on the urgent need to revitalize this sector Onuma implied the adverse effects of no revitalization of the agricultural sector nothing that.
“Under such conditions all, it needed was farmine and Kwashioker to be evident is the villages was a little more soil erosion or drought a little more reduction in the flames of village actions or some aggravating circumstance.
Further more, one wondered why it is taking the state so long despite its abundant hand and know how to revitalize the agricultural sector and save the syriods of inhabitants of Enugu State who are both undated kwashiorkor stricken and undernourished.
While emphasizing the importance of improving agriculture productions through cooperative Igobor said it has now dained on the government that dependence on the external sources of food supply has ground stability consequence because it lies the state independence to the uncertainties of ridiculed.
According to Enugu State Food Journal, agriculture was the back bone of the states economic development to thousands of Enugu State indigenes and over 95% of the labour force, mostly from rural areas, continued the report, agriculture produces feeds for the animals that provide protein to the well being of man cannot be overemphasized.
Most important also is the production of palm products for industries. Palm products means materials that came from palm farm or plantations such as kernel, oil et c.
All these made the government to organize these peasant farmers into agricultural cooperative with a view of having massive food production and attainment of self sufficiency in a agricultural product in the country.
Nigeria had embarked on various programme and policies costing hundreds of millions naira aimed at reviving the depressed agricultural sector.
In view of this, agricultural co-operatives was instituted so as to organize the small scale farmers who are still involved in manual labour type of farming in cooperative and had failed to produce enough food for our teaming population. These by forcing the country to be involved in importation of large quantity of food with a hudge percentage decline in agricultural exports.
Both all these governmental efforts have not actually hard much significant improvement in this sector as much emphasis is now being placed on agriculture.
This cell for urgent re-examination of the role of these agricultural production sure its aim of facilitating the attainment of self – sufficiently in agricultural and making agriculture to take its prime position in the national economy of this country in danger.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general purpose of this project report is to undertake a study of the existing farmers cooperative societies and effects in improving the development of agriculture specify.
Finally, the study has the following objective
1.4 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
Agriculture is so important in order to sustain any economy. Moreover cooperative the agricultural sector. Thus any effort geared towards carrying out research aimed at improving of agricultural cooperative should have bearing on the sector. This is therefore the most appropriate time to study the agricultural sector concerning the prevailing economic conditions of Enugu State.
Presently, our farmers are not adequately remunerated despite the fact they bend over double trying to make. The state sufficient and self reliant in food production. They cannot compete with their counterparts the nation of Nigeria not to talk to the world.
If they are organized in cooperative increased productivity enhanced the profit maximized to them, and then farming will once more look attractive.
Based on the findings of this study and suggestions proffered it is strongly believed that the policy makers government would encourage our peasant farmers to voluntarily join the cooperative societies. Moreover healthy programs and policies on cooperative and development would be mounted in addition it would enable the managers of cooperative and organizations to adequately organized the cooperative farmers for increased food production. Furthermore, colleges of cooperatives, schools, and researchers who wish to carry out research in this field have been provided a springboard from where they can take off.
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study will attempt to examine the polcieis of Enugu North Local Government Area farmer’s cooperative societies Enugu on agricultural development are over changing and the importance of cooperativising our small scale farmers for increased food production. The constraint in achieving the desired development in agriculture and proffering of possible solution to overcome them shall also be examined in this project report.
However, in preparing this report, the researcher been handicapped by inadequacy to time to take a more detailed research. Also within the time available it has not been easy to contact most of the members of the cooperative and the state cooperative epexes whose views would have helped in encouraging a broad based approached, as literature on the topic is rather scanty.
Moreover, most of the workers who were contacted do not keep up to date statistical records, which would have been useful in the analysis of the data collected, some members of cooperative are largely, if not totally ignorant of what the cooperative involves. Nor are they familiar with its modus operamdi hence most of the information supplied by them could be incorporated in this study.
Financial constraints coupled with lack of hardly transportation also rendered my mobility rather limited.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Most of the terms (words or phrase that are used in this project report may be unfamiliar or may have peculiar meaning and connotations) these terms includes:
1. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION: The index of the ratio of the value of the total farm output to the value of the total in put used in farm production.
2. FARM MANAGEMENT: The application of farming science and technology the solution of the day to day problems facing the farms.
3. BYE – LAWS: We mean the registered bye laws made buy a cooperative society 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.
4. SMALL SCALE INDIVIDUAL FARMS: This implies a farmer whose total cultivable farm land is not more than hectres and whose farm labour requirement are largely supplied by his family. The sells are sold in a localized market, he requires low initial capital investment farms on small holdings with simple technology and at least 60% of his annual income from agriculture.
5. ENOFED: This means Enugu North Local Government Area Cooperative Federal Limited. It is the highest cooperative body in this state that gives supervisory other cooperative bodies in the state.
6. COOPERATIVE SOCIETY: It is a form of organization where in people voluntarily associate together as human beings, on the basis of equality, for the promotion of the economic interests of themselves.
7. AUXILLARY COOPERATIVES: This type provides individual services to member. The cooperative main functions are to provide credit supply and market and storage. The cooperative has no hand in the supervision and management affairs of member farm.
8. PRODUCTIVE TYPE: Here there is a full integration. The cooperative absorbs all the members business enterprise that is members economic responsibilities are borne by the cooperative found in Enugu North Local Government Area.
9. PRODUCTION PROMOTION COOPERATIVE: This is cooperative by integration the farmer depends on society for his production activities. This is a strong link between the cooperative and members in areas of management, marketing, credit and decision making.
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