Abstract:
Youth participation in Agricultural Marketing Co-operative (AMCOS) has been so limited provided that services and products offered by AMCOS seem not to be youth preference as they do not physically experience the economic benefits for AMCOS activities. In that case, the study aimed at assessing the issues relating to youth preferences and youth economic benefits in Agricultural Marketing Co-operative societies in Kishapu, Tanzania. The research adopted both exploratory and descriptive research design to investigate the phenomenon and employed sampling methods such as cluster and simple random. Data were collected using survey questionnaire. The data were subjected to both thematic analysis and descriptive statistics analysis for quantification in terms of frequencies and percentages for easy interpretations. The findings established that youth farmers are not motivated to join AMCOS because of using traditional ways in delivering their services. Youth proposed for modification of co-operative services like value addition, provision of credits on farm inputs, diversification of AMCOS services, training on production technology and technological access to production information. Moreover, the finding revealed that co-operative organizations have economic benefits to youth members, especially in tackling their economic challenges. This was evidenced by asset accumulation, production and intangible benefits, but these economic benefits depend on the number of years of being a member in co-operative. Other economic benefits are reduction of storage cost, enhancing marketing bargaining strength for their members and assurance of market of the product. It is recommended that AMCOS and the government should make sure that AMCOS activities are indeed helpful to youth and they address youths’ needs. Also there is a need for co-operative to strengthen their activities in order to realize their potentials. It is recommended that youth can enhance the sustainability of the co-operative especially through including them in decision making bodies and designing relevant products which address youths’ desire.
