The Role of Co-operative Organizations in Implementing Reforestation Programmes

Abstract

This paper examines the role of primary farmer co-operatives in implementing reforestation programme and the rate of tree planting among co-operative members. It also assesses the survival mute of planted trees and identifies constraints faced by farmers in implementing the reforestation programme. The study applied a cross-sectional research design in which a variety of methods including personal observations, questionnaires and focus group discussions were applied. Sample size was 60 primary-farmer cooperative members, 20 members from each of the three primary-farmer co-operatives, selected purposively and systematically from the most affected division. Sample size represented 7% of total study population which is 862 co-operative members. Data were summarized and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) in which both descriptive and inferential statistics were established. ANOVA was used to test if there is statistically significant difference in performance between three cooperatives. Results indicate a poor performance of the reforestation programme because of the observed low tree planting rate and a low survival rate of 39.6 %. This study recommends that farmers should be separated from livestock keepers to avoid grazing on tree farms and also there is a need to introduce strict by-laws, penalties and fines to those who deliberately burn the forests.