ABSTRACT
The research work on the topic “The Influence Of Agricultural Cooperative In The Development Of Food Production In Nigeria (A case study of Enugu North L. G. A Co-operative as was carried out to survey the past programmes and polities constituted by government to mobilize peasant farmers into agricultural co-operative and functional ones more productive as a way of facilitating the attainment of self-sufficiency in agricultural productivity in the country.
The general constrains that affect the achievement of the objectives in Enugu North local government area was identified. These include ill conceived and inefficient extension services, inadequate farm storage facilities and organized marketing outlets, use of crude farming implements. Complex land tenure system, non-restriction of membership which might bring in people of questionable characters whose membership may lead to the down fall of the society among others.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Agriculture, from the beginning of time, the first concern of man has been food clothing and shelter in that order. Agriculture being one of the oldest industries, its origin can be traced to the earliest human societies. The existence of man from the prehistoric era up to the era ancient civilization depended on the ability of the individual to hunt and gather food for consumption. Food was, however the basic source of life which provided him energy in his wondering and constant struggle for survival. However, with the realization that food was basic need for survival, efforts were made by early man to cultivate crops.
In spite of the limitations which agriculture is facing, it still remained the most important sector of the world economy. Agriculture is a basic industry that supports all industries and all aspects of needs can justify from its role and contributions to nation building. Between 75 – 80% of working population in rural areas engage in agriculture production (farming). Some are provide jobs in the industries e.g. textile industry, Breweries and shoe industry.
Agriculture aids in rural development, with the location of industries that utilize agricultural produce in an area other investors go to rural areas to set up factories trade and operate business centers people are employed and paid to earn their living. Agricultural provides industrial raw material, textile mills required cotton, and plastic industries use rubber/latex.
Agricultural involves operational clearing of the land and the breaking-up of surface soil, the sowing for seeds, the removal of the weeds from the farm, the harvesting and storage of crops which are disposed of by marketing and the breeding and rearing of animals. All these Co-operatives can do in a number of different, which involve amounts of labour, time, expense and productivity. Agricultural education is an area in agriculture that a concern with helping people to develop a desire to learn and teach agriculture. This is a change of behaviour towards agricultural practices.
Every student requires a particular institutional framework. One of such framework of the student is the co-operative. The word co-operative can have different interpretation. In a layman’s language, it means working together on working mutually. The second interpretation , which is where the emphasis means a special type of co-operative. The co-operative has been defined by different schools of thought but the various in the degree of emphasis on one aspect or the other.
The school of thought describes co-operative as business undertaking owned and operated by voluntary associations in order to provide themselves with work and wages or with goods and services.
But the International Co-operative Alliance (I C A) defined co-operative as an autonomous association of persons, limited voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises. The role of co-operative in agricultural is an important topic of study but already much has been done by co-operators to justify its prime role of score securing economic and political development particularly in developed countries like England known for consumer co-operatives. France known for industrial co-operative and Germany known for credit co-operative. Co-operative movement is world wide phenomenon. It has developed from simple traditional form(s) of mutual institution of modern formally organized institution. This institution gained world wide acceptance because of the grate role. It has been playing in the economic development of various countries particularly in the developing countries. The improvement of agricultural production through co-operative inevitable has social effects. Co-operative management bring better yield which in turn yields better living standard, better housing, better education for members and their families. This economic success of co-operative society has been witnessed invaluably in co-operative studies.
In Enugu State, most inhabitants survive through and the main occupation is substantial farming, which attracted interest many co-operative societies, both existing ones and new initiated ones. Improving the agricultural production 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 produce as expected. The product that were severely affected were yam tubers, cassava stems and tubers, cocoa yams, vegetables.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Nigeria had embarked on various programmes and policies costing hundreds of millions of naira aimed at reviving the depressed agricultural sector.
In view of this, agricultural co-operative was instituted so as to organize the small scale farmers who are still involved in manual labour type of farming in co-operative and had failed to produce enough food for our teeming population thereby the country to be involved in importation of large quantity of food with a huge percentage decline in agricultural exports.
All those governmental effort have not actually had much significant improvement in this sector as much emphasis now being placed on agriculture. The call for urgent re-examination of the role of these agricultural production sure it’s aim of facilitating the attainment of self-sufficiency in agriculture 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 undertaken as a study of the existing farmers co-operative societies and their contribution to food production.
Finally, the study has the following objective:
i. To identify the factor that can cause low food production in agriculture co-operative in (Enugu) North.
ii. To investigate whether problem identified are associated with the agriculture co-operative society.
iii. To investigate the farms of supports and incentives provided by the government to the agriculture co-operatives if there are any.
iv. To find out the ways and methods that can be used in solving the problems of low food productivity.
1.4 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
Agriculture is so importance in order to sustain any economy. Moreover, co-operative using the agricultural sector, thus any effort geared towards carrying out research aimed at improving the agricultural production should be considered work while any suggestion on the improvement of agricultural co-operatives should have bearing on the sector. This is therefore the most appropriate time to study the agricultural sector concerning the prevailing economic condition of Delta 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 in Nigeria not to talk of the part of the world.
If they are organized in co-operative, 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 co-operative societies. Moreover, healthy progrant and policies on co-operative and development would be mounted in addition, it would enable the manager of co-operative and organization to adequately organize the co-operative farmer for increased food production. Furthermore, colleges of co-operatives, schools and researcher 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 policies of Enugu North Local Government Area farmers co-operative societies. Delta state on agricultural development are one charging and the importance of co-operative using our small scale farmers for increased in food production.
The constraint in achieving the desired development in agriculture and proferring of possible solution to overcome them shall also be examined in this project report.
However, in preparing this report, the researcher been handicapped by an inadequacy of time to been easy to contact most of the members of the co-operative and the state co-operative apexes whose views would have helped in encouraging a broad-base approached, as literature on the topic is rather scanty. Moreover, most of the workers who were contented do not keep up to date statistical records – which would have been useful in the analysis of the data collected.
Some members of co-operative are large, if not totally, ignorant of what the co-operative involves. Nor are they familiar with its modus operand hence most of the information supplied by them could be incorporated in the study.
Financial constrains coupled with lack of hardly transport also rendered my mobility rather limited.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Does co-operative helps to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural production?
2. Does agricultural product helps to improve peoples standard of living?
3. To what extent has agriculture contributed tremendously to the overall development of economic of Nigeria?
4. How can you as a member of co-operative help to remedy some of the problems facing the development of co-operative society?
5. Does government show much concern to appreciate the work of co-operative in increasing productivity?