EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES ACTIVITIES ON IMPROVED PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN COOPERATIVE FARMERS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the effects of Agricultural cooperatives activities on improved performance of women cooperative farmers in Enugu state. Cooperatives as socio-economic entities are confronted with issues of poor savings mobilization, poor loan acquisition and inadequate training. Specifically, the study examined the activities of cooperatives in the areas of savings mobilization, loan acquisition and training and their effect on increasing the performance of Women in Agricultural Cooperatives. The population size was 4000 women in agricultural cooperatives in Enugu state, the sample size of 180 was gotten using simple random sampling technique. The study adopted survey design. The main source of data collection for this study was primary source while the instrument for collection was structured questionnaires. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages). It revealed that out of 169 women that returned their questionnaires 100, 110, 100 respectively strongly agreed that savings mobilization, loan acquisition and training respectively have significant effects on improved productivity of women in agricultural cooperatives in Enugu state. The hypotheses were tested using Chi-Square methods, all null hypotheses were rejected while the alternate hypotheses were accepted since the calculated chi-squares were greater than the tabulated values. Women participation in agriculture had made them to be more financially independent and economically vibrant. Based on the findings, it was recommended that government and financial institutions should give adequate support to cooperative societies in the area of credits, also adequate campaigns are needed to sensitize the women and the general public on benefits of agricultural cooperatives towards improving their productivity in the study area. The implication of the study is that improved performance of women in agricultural cooperatives is a confirmation of the primacy of cooperatives as a source of income to rural women.