Co-operative Development and Management

Smallholder Rice Farmers’ Access to Information in Tanzania

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Smallholder Rice Farmers’ Access to Information in Tanzania Mauki, Consesa; Jeckoniah, John; Massawe, Goodluck Access to quality information plays a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania. Agricultural co-operatives have the potential to overcome smallholder farmers’ information asymmetry. Yet, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the extent to which Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) can effectively provide quality information to smallholder farmers as required by Co-operative Principle number five (Education, Training, and Information). This paper analyses the current level of access to information among smallholder rice farmers in AMCOS, evaluating the relevance, adequacy and reliability of information provided by AMCOS to its members and identifying the factors influencing the adequacy of the information provided by AMCOS. The study was conducted in Mvomero and Mbarali Districts. A cross sectional research design was used and data were collected using a questionnaire that was administered to 382 randomly selected farmers based on registers availed by co-operative managers in three co-operatives. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) whereby ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the influence of various factors on the adequacy of information obtained from AMCOS. The study found that 77.2% of farmers accessed information on rice agronomy. Smallholder rice farmers obtained adequate (52.6%), relevant (35.6%) and reliable (37.7%) information from their respective AMCOS. The adequacy of information was influenced by membership in social groups, access to rice agronomy information and financial information at p<0.05. It is concluded that agricultural co-operatives are potential platforms for providing quality information in enhancing smallholder rice farmers’ informed decision-making. The study recommends that efforts should be made to strengthen AMCOS by providing them with resources, training, and support to enhance their capacity to deliver accurate and timely information to farmers. This include collaboration with agricultural extension service providers and leveraging their networks to access up-to-date information on agronomic practices, weather forecasts, and market trends to enhance farmers’ competitiveness in rice farming.

Credit Access and Smallholder Rice Farmers’ Productivity in Agricultural Co-operatives Based Irrigation Schemes in Tanzania

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Credit Access and Smallholder Rice Farmers’ Productivity in Agricultural Co-operatives Based Irrigation Schemes in Tanzania Mauki, Consesa; Njau, Luka Access to credit is crucial for enhancing productivity among smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania's irrigation schemes. Despite its importance, various barriers prevent these farmers from securing the necessary financial services. This study investigates the factors influencing credit access and its effect on productivity among smallholder rice farmers in irrigation schemes managed by agricultural co-operatives in Tanzania. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, collecting data from 382 smallholder rice farmers in three Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) during the 2021 cropping season. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire and key informant interviews. The analysis employed the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), utilizing descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The findings reveal that only 34.3% (131) of the 382 respondents had access to credit, and this access positively influenced productivity among smallholder rice farmers. The model results indicated that the duration of membership in a cooperative society, land size, access to training, farming experience, and adequate extension services were significant determinants of agricultural credit access. While only 34.5% of respondents had access to credit, this access positively influenced productivity. The key determinants of agricultural credit access include cooperative membership duration, land size, training access, farming experience, and extension services. To improve rural farmers’ access to credit, the Local Government Authority and stakeholders in the credit industry should design interventions that enhance credit access among smallholder farmers. Additionally, promoting capacity building, financial literacy programs, and ensuring that policy interventions focus on supporting rural financial institutions are recommended strategies for improving credit access, boosting agricultural productivity, and enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder rice farmers in Tanzania.

Service Quality Management Practices and Financial Sustainability of SACCOS in Magu and Kwimba Districts, Tanzania

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Service Quality Management Practices and Financial Sustainability of SACCOS in Magu and Kwimba Districts, Tanzania Ngowi, Alex J.; Malamsha, Kitala C.; Mataba, Lucas D. The study examined the structural relationships between service quality management practices (SQMP) and financial sustainability (FS) with mediating effect of Service innovation practices (SIP). A cross-sectional research design was employed with a Quantitative approach. Data was collected from 351 SACCOS members in Mangu and Kwimba Districts using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with bootstrapping method, revealing that SQMP significantly and positively (β = 1.109; p < 0.001; β = 0.650, p < 0.05) influence both the SIP and FS. The SIP strongly (β = 0.860; p < 0.001) mediate the relationship between SQMP and FS. The study concludes that, while SQMP directly enhances the FS, its effectiveness is reinforced when coupled with SIP. The study recommends SACCOS leaders, management, unions and supporting stakeholders to institutionalize SQMP integrated with SIP to ensure FS of SACCOS in the study area.

Enhancing food security through African irrigation co-operatives:

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Enhancing food security through African irrigation co-operatives: Kimaro, Beatrice J.; Kilonzo, Rehema G.; Matunga, Benta N. Purpose: This study aims to map and analyse the institutional and technological dynamics shaping the performance of African irrigation co-operatives. Specifically, the study (i) examines publication trends and thematic evolution in co-operative irrigation research, (ii) identifies dominant institutional and technological linkages, and (iii) proposes policy strategies to enhance co-operative resilience. Design/Methodology/Approach: A bibliometric analysis of 715 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2024) was conducted using data from the Dimensions Database. After screening for relevance and duplicates, 540 publications were selected for detailed analysis. The data were processed and visualised using VOS viewer version 1.6, which produced keyword co-occurrence maps, authorship networks, and thematic clusters to identify emerging research frontiers and institutional–technological synergies. Field-based case insights from Malawi’s Phata Co-operative were also included to contextualise bibliometric patterns and validate the analytical framework. Findings: Results indicate that irrigation co-operatives implementing participatory water governance alongside climate-adapted technologies, such as drip irrigation, IoT-enabled sensors, and mobile irrigation management tools, achieve crop yields 40–60% higher than those without such integration (p < 0.05). However, technological diffusion remains uneven: only 23% of co-operatives have adopted smart irrigation systems, and less than 30% include women in leadership roles. Gender-inclusive co-operatives demonstrate greater resilience to climate-induced shocks, highlighting the social and adaptive advantages of inclusive governance. Research Limitations: The analysis is restricted to publications indexed in the Dimensions Database from 2020 to 2024, which may exclude non-indexed regional studies and grey literature. Practical Implications: The study suggests a policy framework that combines affordable digital tools with institutional reforms, such as gender quotas in co-operative leadership, digital training programmes, and weather-indexed insurance schemes. Social Implications: The findings highlight the transformative potential of gender-inclusive irrigation co-operatives. Originality/Value: It advances both theory and policy by identifying institutional, technological synergies that can be leveraged to achieve sustainable and inclusive food security across the continent This is Research Article