Members’ participation in decision making in primary agricultural marketing cooperatives in Tanzania, evidence from selected primary cooperatives of Bukoba and Moshi Districts
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IDpublication
Abstract
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.
Description
International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection,Vol. 6, No. 2
Keywords
Members’ participation, Participation-decision making, Primary Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives