Abstract:
Marketing challenges in agricultural cooperatives affects marketing advantages; in
turn affects benefits to members. These challenges need solutions that were found to be
addressed by education and training; that needs training assessments. Training on
cooperative business can become a strategic for recovery planning building back better
the cooperative societies. This research was done based on survey design based on a
qualitative design. Data were collected using 19 focus group discussions and 5 key
informant interviews. The findings on the challenges indicated that; production capacity
was found not meting market requirement. The reliable markets for farmers were found
not to be feasible. Middle men were found to be the controller of the markets. Marketing
of none-coffee produce were found to require specified training requirements especially
on meeting the market requirements. Also, the measurement in terms of selling the
produce has become a stumbling block in developing a win-win situation among the
producers and buyers. On the training needs the findings indicates that; the mixed crop
marketing was found to be among the component that needs training. Training on the
quality maintenance of produce from production to marketing and training on contract
and business negotiation; the negotiation capacity among farmers were found to limit
business performance. The study concludes that, the performance of cooperative in
alleviating marketing challenges were found to be the stumbling block for agriculture
cooperatives to meets the markets requirements. The study recommends that; Primary
AMCOS to solicit training on production increase by farmers in primary AMCOS to
curb marketing demands. Local government and the ministry responsible for trade and
marketing to provide regulation on how middlemen can venture fare in agricultural
business marketing to moderate business practices. The cooperative department and
cooperative commission should empower primary cooperatives on marketing noncoffee
by capacity building.
