INCREASING THE AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN ENUGU STATE (A CASE STUDY OF AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN ENUGU EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE)
The research work on “Increasing Agricultural output through the activities of co-operative societies in Enugu State” using agricultural cooperatives in Enugu East as a cast study was carried out to survey the past programmes and policies constituted by government to mobilize peasant farmers into agricultural cooperatives and the functional ones more productive as a way of facilitating the attainment of self. Sufficiency in agricultural output.
The constraints that affects the achievement of the objectives of these agricultural cooperatives and how it affects agricultural cooperatives on Enugu East Local Government Area was identified. These include use of crude oil method of farming implements, poor member education and high level of illiteracy among member, inadequate storage facility and marketing outlet, individualism among Nigerians leading to unwillingness to pool resources and work together and excessive control of government leading to over independence on government initiative and direction.
Finally, to curtail these constraints, improved and adequate coordination has to be put into consideration between the state and local government authorities. Unpredicted charge of the government, should be avoided, trained, personnel should be employed as this is the only way of achieving the objectives.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the Study 2
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Review of related literature 8
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research design and methodology 20
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Summary of Findings 25
Bibliography 29
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is seen as the bedrock of every society nation’s economy and Enugu State. Work has been carried out in the state and a lot of research is expected to be carried out; which gives rise to this research work. In this direction, much attention has been paid to the neglect and reason for the non-performance of the agricultural and cooperative societies in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
A report written in 1982 by Somtochukwu on the Enugu State food journal states that agricultural cooperatives have produced a large number of work force mostly in the rural areas and has equally contributed in the area of solid food production both for man and animals. Agriculture was the only or main source of earning in Enugu State in the sixties. It was also the source of employment for the teeming population in the seventies. A leap was taken from the dependency on agriculture to dependency on commodities from agricultural produce.
Written on the caption “Harvest of failure” by Igbesor (1992) stated that Enugu State earned #60m from export in 1992 and agriculture presents a clear picture of how that huge capital inflow was spent. He submitted that with the present population growth rate, which shows that the time is running out in the state to choose between its present meal approach to agricultural development or declear war on low output, which must be fought and won.
Furthermore, the government should help the cooperative societies which seems to be the only source of hope for the undernourished citizens and inhabitants of the state through promotion, financing, government support etc.
Having realized this, the government now sees the importance of agricultural cooperative and now tries to organize their peasant farmers into farmers agricultural cooperatives with the view of having massive food production, attainment in sufficiency of agricultural produce in Enugu State.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Despite the effort to improve agriculture in Nigeria, there still persist food scarcity in the country. The growth of the populace is more rapid to that of agriculture and this has reduced sharply the percapita benefits of increased food production and the associated increase of income.
As a result of this, many still go without food considering the position occupied by agriculture in the state economy, the allocation to it and much amount spent on importation of food, there is thus great need to involve a solution through the diagnosis of the problem. This equally resulted to the collection of peasant farmers into agricultural cooperatives with the view of improving agricultural production.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Nigeria has embacked on many programme with the reviving of the depressed agricultural sector.
The micro agricultural cooperative was instituted to organize the small-scale farmers who still work manually and have failed to produce enough food for the teeming population thereby forcing the country to be involved in importation of food with a de3cline in agricultural exports.
This calls for reexamination of the role of these agricultural production with it’s aim of facilitating the attainment of self sufficiency in agricultural products making agriculture to take it’s prime position in the economy.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The general purpose of this project is to study the existing farmers cooperative societies and their efforts in improving the development of agriculture.
Finally the study as the following objectives:
(a) To examine the organizational set and operations of the farmers cooperative movement of Enugu State with particular reference to Enugu East L.G.A
(b) To examine the impact of farmers cooperative societies.
(c) To investigate the problem facing farmers cooperative societies
(d) To suggest ways of enhancing the effectiveness of the society.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Agriculture is very important for the sustain of every economy. The effort to make agriculture sector to be cooperative is geared towards carrying out research and aimed at improving agricultural production should be considered worthwhile. This is therefore, the appropriate time to study the agricultural sector considering the prevailing economy condition of the state. Farmers if guided and organized into cooperatives, there will be increase productivity to enhance profit maximization thereby making farming attractive again.
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study will examine the policies of agricultural cooperative societies in Enugu East L.G.A and the importance of supporting the small-scale farmers for increase in food production
The constraint in achieving this desired development in agriculture and solution to them shall be examined in this study. In preparing this report, the researcher has been handicapped by time constraint. Though with the available time, some of the workers not contacted were not up to date with statistical records which would have been useful in the analysis of the collected data.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Most of the terms used in this project report may be unfamiliar or may have particular meaning or connotation – these includes:
(a) Farm management: The application of farming science and technology to the solution of farm daily problem.
(b) Agricultural Productivity: The index of the ratio of the value of the total imports used in farm production.
(c) EFCOS: Federation of Enugu cooperative societies it is the highest cooperative body in the state.
(d) Auxiliary cooperative: It provides individual service to members. Their main function is to credit, supply market and have no hand in management of members farm.
(e) Production Promotion Cooperative: This is cooperative by integration. The farmers depend on society for his production activities. There is strong link between the cooperative and members in area of management, credit and decision-making.
(f) Bye – Laws: This is a law registered by the society to govern the activities of the society and which is made by the society in the exercise of power conferred by the cooperative society law.
(g) Cooperative Society: This is a form of organization where people voluntarily associate together as human beings on the basis of equality for the promotion of the economy interest of themselves.
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