A study on the perception of members on the performance of Mufumbwe district cooperative union: A case study of Mufumbwe District
Date
2009
Authors
Ndonyo, Emmanuel
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia
Abstract
This report presents an assessment of the perception of the members on the performance of Mufumbwe District Cooperative Union (MDCU). The main purpose was to determine the social-economic performance of (MDCU) as perceived by the co-operators.
The research survey was conducted in Mufumbwe district in North-Western Province. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect data and 110 (i.e. 68% of these were male folk) respondents were successfully interviewed. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Survey findings revealed that MDCU offers inputs and marketing services only; 69.1% of the respondents who fairly accessed services acknowledged that cooperative services improved their household income. The incidence of food insecurity was shown to be evident by 45.5% and 25.5% of the members that had joined the cooperative in the last five years and between six to ten years, respectively. However, cooperatives have not created any employment in study areas as attested to by 96.4% of the respondents.
Based on the findings it is recommended that the government and other concerned stakeholders should continue to provide cooperative incentives in order to improve production and productivity. Such involvement should also include innovating and enhancing investments in marketing, plants and machinery, poultry and high value crops, processing and transportation in order to solve the problem of member low capital base. Likewise, the government ensure that cooperative members' capacities are improved through training, infrastructural development, irrigation and credit provisions.
Description
Student Project Report
Keywords
Cooperative Societies--Zambia