The Role of Farmer’s Cooperatives in Honey Production and Marketing: The Case of Masha Woreda South- West Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examined the role of honey producer farmer’s cooperative in Masha District south-west Ethiopia. The data were collected through Questionnaire, Interview and focus group discussion. Both primary and secondary data were taken for this study. There were six honey producing farmers cooperative with 215 members in the study area. All of the cooperatives and member farmers were sampled for this study. The study used primary data from cooperative members’ household survey, and focus group discussion to provide background information and investigate the role of the cooperatives in honey production and marketing and constraints regarding honey production and marketing. Secondary data are also used to supplement primary data. The analysis is carried out by applying more of explanatory, descriptive and qualitative means of analysis. As a result, the study identified those constraints which affect the cooperatives production and marketing potential such as; lack of members commitment, limited leadership and management capacity, inadequate working capital, lack of inputs, lack of government and NGO support, lack of infrastructure facilities, limited training opportunities and storage problem. Even if the cooperatives do have a great potential to increase the honey productivity, due to the existence of these constraints, they didn’t bring significant progress yet in the study area. To minimize the impact of their constraints, cooperatives are expected to enhance transparency and accountability. In addition cooperatives are expected to strengthen their members’ equivalent participation together with its controlling mechanism to enhance the number of members which actually contributes for the increased honey productivity. As lack of working capital is also one of the problems of cooperatives, they are expected to effectively mobilize members for additional share capital contribution and credit access. If integrated corrective actions are taken on these identified constraints of cooperatives by members and stake holders, the cooperatives will play significant role on honey production and marketing in the study area.

Keywords: farmers cooperative, honey production and marketing, constraints

DOI: 10.7176/DCS/9-4-05

Publication date: April 30^th 2019