Browsing by Author "Rwekaza, Gratian Cronery"

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Accountability of board and management to members in primary agricultural marketing cooperatives societies (amcos) in Tanzania, evidence from selected amcos of Bukoba and Moshi Districts
(IDpublication, 2018) Rwekaza, Gratian Cronery; Kayunze, Kim Abel; Kimaryo, Leons Philip
Co-operative democracy plays a key social function in the organization of economic relations that govern member owned firms where the aspect of managerial accountability is becoming important for co-operative to embark on sustainable democracy. In Tanzania, various efforts have been made to ensure primary Agriculture Marketing Co-operative Society (AMCOS) mainstream member ownership and democracy where Board and management accountable to members are apparent. The study used primary AMCOS of Bukoba and Moshi district. The study revealed that the management were much accountable to the Union in Bukoba district primary AMCOS as compared to Moshi district. The use of meetings, members opt the use general meeting to affect managerial accountability to AMCOS members. Education and training at the primary AMCOS was examined and most had no plan to obtain education and some primary AMCOS shows education were not provided but planned to be provided. Information dissemination was done by using village meetings as compared to the use of primary AMCOS notice Board. Also, decisions are not implemented as members agreed while few accepting meeting decisions to be implemented. Reasons limiting implementations being absence of implementation plans. The decision ownership powers were found to be on the hands of union in Bukoba district primary AMCOS by while Moshi district primary AMCOS Management had more ownership power. The membership rights also indicated the lowest percentage on right to chose leaders of the primary AMCOS, right to sell their produce in the primary AMCOS and right to co- operative education. The leadership succession planning had the lowest present, revealing no primary AMCOS has performed it and the reasons being youth migration to town. The study recommends that education co-operative governance to members be emphasised since it is important for next generation leaders who will become Board members capable of running their organisations
An analysis of external interfaces limiting co-operative sustainability in the primary agricultural marketing co-operative societies (amcos) in Tanzania, evidence from selected coffee primary amcos of Bukoba and Moshi districts
(European Journal of Research and Reflection in Management Sciences, 2018) Rwekaza, Gratian Cronery; Kayunze, Kim Abel; Kimaryo, Leons Philip
The importance of a co-operative as a member-owned socio-economic institution has attracted global focus to identify mechanisms by which co-operatives can meet members’ needs and aspirations using co-operative democracy. In Tanzania, co-operative policy and legislation highlight ownership and participative democracy to co-operatives; various efforts have been made to ensure primary Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) use member democracy in decision making to sustain co-operative institutions. The study assessed the extent to which democratic practices reflect member ownership in different decision making processes. The study objective was to examine external interferences limiting co-operative sustainability in the primary AMCOS in Bukoba and Moshi districts. A cross-sectional design was used whereby 400 members were selected from ten primary AMCOS of Bukoba and Moshi districts. The study used primary data by the use of household survey and interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Documentary review was done to collect secondary information. The findings on the external sustainability influence results shows government roles were more identified as to tax members' produce than regulation and creating enabling environment for co-operative business; a total of 47 deduction and tax items were found to effect member produce on Farm Gate Price. Also, the decline of coffee price was the leading factor affecting the co-operative business. The study recommends that ordinary members, board and managers of the Primary AMCOS should prepare strategies that will expand the capital base of their firm in order to have a sustainable capital system. Also, the role of the Government should be creating enabling environment to co-operative rather than taxing co-operative members.
Members’ participation in decision making in primary agricultural marketing cooperatives in Tanzania, evidence from selected primary cooperatives of Bukoba and Moshi Districts
(IDpublication, 2018) Rwekaza, Gratian Cronery; Kayunze, Kim Abel; Kimaryo, Leons Philip
Globally, the importance of a co-operative as a member owned socio-economic institution is becoming evident and the aspect of member participation is becoming important in co- operative democracy. In Tanzania co-operative policy and legislation highlights ownership and participative democracy to co-operatives; various efforts have been made to ensure primary Agriculture Marketing Co-operative Society (AMCOS) use participative democracy in decision making. Generally, the study assessed the extent to which democratic practices reflect member ownership in different decision making processes. The study objective was to examine members’ participation in decision making in primary AMCOS in Tanzania basing on evidence from Bukoba and Moshi district. The findings of the study revealed that member in the primary AMCOS were registered based on selling coffee. Membership share status indicates only few have paid all required shares. The democratic practice of the majority of respondent had low mean scores. Members who sell all their produce in the primary AMCOS were below fifty percent. Also the findings showed that members found to be satisfied by the primary AMCOS services. However dissatisfaction was reported in the aspects of; accessing agricultural inputs and members’ education and training as well as getting agro credits. The rights of members to engage in decision making were found to be limited. Findings on the governing instrument assessment revealed that none of the primary AMCOS had Vision, Mission, Core values, financial regulation and Strategic plan. In assessing member complaint it was identified that low price of coffee that indicates that most of primary AMCOS were affected by low price. However some primary AMCOS had a problem of transparency while others were in complaining of misuse of primary AMCOS funds. Among other things, the study recommends education to members so that members can achieve best options for participation in different decision making organs and create fed back mechanisms.
Members’ views on ownership and democratic sustainability in primary agricultural marketing co-operatives in Tanzania; evidence from Bukoba and Moshi districts
(East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences, 2019) Rwekaza, Gratian Cronery; Kayunze, Kim Abel; Kimaryo, Leons Philip
Globally, the sustainability of democracy in co-operatives plays a key social function in the co-operative organization to promote economic and social relations among members. The objective of the study was to determine members’ views on factors influencing AMCOS sustainability. A cross-sectional design was used whereby 400 members were selected from ten primary AMCOS in Bukoba and Moshi districts. The study used primary data which was collected through household survey, interviews, focus group discussion and key informant interviews Documentary material were utilized to collect secondary data. The study revealed that membership has decreased over the previous ten years (prior to 2015). On the other hand, the democratic governance was assessed and the extent of prevalence of good governance and democratic practice was found to be low (With a mean score of 4.09 that had 18.56 percentage score). The study concluded that primary AMCOS need a continuity of democratic practices by engaging in multiple crops (as opposed to coffee only which is seasonal) to bring sustainable democracy which will not be seasonal. It is recommended that, the sustainability of democratic governance of the primary AMCOS will be achieved if members fully participate in creating solutions to common challenge.