Agricultural Cooperatives Research Articles

Analisis Faktor-Faktor yang Memengaruhi Return pn Asset serta Manfaat Ekonomi Anggota Koperasi

This study aims to explain the factors that influence the decline in return on assets and the economic benefits obtained by cooperative members. This research was conducted with the object of the trading business unit of Sumber Tani Mandiri Agricultural Cooperative. In this study, the method used is a case study by collecting data and direct observation on the object of research and then analyzing it in depth. The measuring instrument to determine the factors that influence the decline in return on assets uses net profit margin and total asset turnover. Meanwhile, direct economic benefits are measured by comparing prices in cooperatives and non-cooperatives. In addition, the economic benefit of direct members is analyzed by distributing questionnaires to cooperative members as respondents. Then, for indirect economic benefit, it was measured by calculating the remaining operating results of the members' share. The results showed that the turnover of total assets from 2018 to 2022, so that the turnover of total assets can be said to be effective because the turnover is getting faster. However, when viewed from the development of net profit margin, it is considered inefficient because the amount of net profit margin generated tends to decrease due to increased expenses or costs incurred. The amount of net profit margin generated in 2018 to 2022. Thus, the factors that influence the decrease in return on assets are due to expenses or costs that have increased more than revenue from sales. The direct economic benefits in the form of price benefits offered by cooperatives are cheaper than the prices offered by non-cooperatives. However, for indirect economic benefits in the form of the remaining results of operations has decreased from the previous year.

Building High-tech Agricultural Cooperative Model Aimed at Expanding the Purple Sugarcane Consumption Market in Tan Lac District, Hoa Binh Province

Building High-tech Agricultural Cooperative Model Aimed at Expanding the Purple Sugarcane Consumption Market in Tan Lac District, Hoa Binh Province

Value chain and competitiveness of organic coffee in the agricultural cooperatives of southern Peru

Value chain and competitiveness of organic coffee in the agricultural cooperatives of southern Peru

Does government policy matter in the digital transformation of farmers’ cooperatives?—A tripartite evolutionary game analysis

Farmers’ cooperatives, as one of the new types of agricultural businesses, are an effective carrier for the digital transformation of agriculture, yet existing studies have paid less attention to how farmers’ cooperatives realize digital transformation. As agricultural economic organizations embedded in social networks, the digital transformation of farmers’ cooperatives requires the joint efforts of governments and companies. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of the government, digital technology companies and farmers’ cooperatives, and simulates and analyzes the behavioral decisions of different participants in the digital transformation of farmers’ cooperatives from the perspective of government policy. The results show: Medium government subsidies can effectively promote the digital transformation of farmers’ cooperatives, and strong subsidy policies increase the government’s financial burden, which is not conducive to policy sustainability. Strong government regulation facilitates digital technology companies to actively provide high-quality services for the digital transformation of farmers’ cooperatives, but government regulation does not have a significant impact on the strategic choices of the government and farmers’ cooperatives. When farmer cooperatives and digital technology companies are in a medium or high level of cooperative trust or when the number of labors saved by digital transformation reaches a certain level, farmers’ cooperatives opt for digital transformation even if the government withdraws from policy intervention.

Transitioning to low-carbon agriculture: the non-linear role of digital inclusive finance in China’s agricultural carbon emissions

Promoting low-carbon agricultural development is essential for achieving carbon neutrality and peak carbon emission goals. The emergence of digital inclusive finance has opened a new pathway to reduce agricultural carbon emissions. This study uses data from various provinces in China from 2011 to 2021 to explore the impact of digital inclusive finance on agricultural carbon emissions and its mechanism of action. The results show that during the study period, agricultural carbon emissions first increased and then decreased, with the emission gap between the eastern and western regions narrowing, while the gap between the southern and northern regions widened. Digital inclusive finance has an inverted “U-shaped” nonlinear impact on agricultural carbon emissions, with the depth of use and the degree of digitization being key factors. Agricultural carbon emissions only begin to be effectively suppressed when the scale of digital inclusive finance exceeds the peak value. Additionally, the development of agricultural green cooperatives weakens the emission reduction effect of digital inclusive finance, indicating a decoupling between their developments, while the accumulation of human capital enhances its emission reduction effect. Based on this, the government is advised to continue promoting low-carbon strategies and the development of digital inclusivity in rural areas. Financial institutions should develop financial products suitable for agricultural green cooperatives, and agricultural green cooperatives should also provide timely feedback and communication to achieve coordinated development between the two. Furthermore, education and training for farmers should be strengthened to encourage them to learn and adopt new technologies.

Organizational structures of agriculture cooperatives in China: Evidence from the green vegetable sector

China’s agriculture cooperatives are playing a pivotal role in promoting rural development and boosting farmers’ income. As a result of the rapidly changing external environment, diverse types of cooperatives have emerged. However, a comprehensive understanding of the organizational structures, including ownership, control, and benefit rights, of different types of cooperatives, is limited. This study analyzes the organizational structures of two types of cooperatives in China: entrepreneur-led cooperatives and government-led cooperatives. Qualitative methodology was used in this study, including semi-structured interviews with four green vegetable production cooperatives in Shandong province. Results reveal the structural differences between these two types of case cooperatives. Despite the shared ownership, control, and benefit rights among members, entrepreneur-led cooperatives are characterized by the dominance of core members in capital contribution, control rights, and dividend distribution; whereas government-led cooperatives distribute those rights more equally among all members. The findings in this study present a more comprehensive landscape of the organizational structures of China’s cooperatives. Empirically, it demonstrates how cooperatives can evolve and vary across laws and cultures, even within the same legislative background. Additionally, it offers crucial insights for these cooperatives to develop and sustain long-term vitality.

Social capital enhances the resilience of agricultural cooperatives: Comparative case studies in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Agricultural cooperatives play an important role in increasing rice production and contribute to the rural economy of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, but their resilience can be influenced by community governance and the social capital of members. This study investigated the comparative importance of social capital of members in two agricultural cooperatives in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. We focused on two primary research questions: (1) How has social capital influenced the resilience of agricultural cooperatives for rice production? (2) What key factors influenced social capital in the two cooperatives? The study applied qualitative and quantitative data collection methods including focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and household surveys. Measures of social capital of members in the cooperative in An Giang scored higher than that of members in the cooperative in Can Tho. Our study found that low levels of education amongst members and weak bonding social capital between subgroups with different social networks and different farming outputs in the same cooperative were two key factors impacting adversely on the resilience of the two cooperatives. Trust was revealed to be a very important component of successful ACs. These are critical areas that need to be addressed by policy makers in order to improve the community governance and resilience of rice farming cooperatives in the Mekong Delta.

Ukraine – ASEAN: new opportunities for strengthening partnership

The article provides a comprehensive scientific analysis of the current state of relations between Ukraine and ASEAN. The article considers promising areas of cooperation between them in the areas of food, agriculture, digitalisation, trade, energy, disaster management, demining, and socio-cultural cooperation. The author outlines Ukraine’s advantages in the field of agriculture and its ability to make a significant contribution to the sustainable supply of products to the ASEAN markets, given the production potential that far exceeds the needs of the domestic market. The article considers Ukraine’s readiness to share its experience in the field of digitalisation, given the existence of successful projects, such as the Diia mobile application developed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine in 2019; the ‘Trembita’ system for electronic interaction of state electronic information resources; and experience in disaster prevention. And to learn from the experience of ASEAN member states in demining agricultural land in de-occupied communities, given their unique experience in demining in Cambodia, where years of war left a significant number of mines. It is proposed to develop and strengthen partnerships between the parties in the socio-cultural sphere to promote contemporary Ukrainian cinema, music, theatre, performance, literature, classical and contemporary fine arts. A separate area of this sphere is the promotion of the Ukrainian language among ASEAN countries, as well as the promotion of Ukrainian cultural heritage and projects in the field of culture and art of indigenous peoples and national minorities, including the promotion of Crimean Tatar culture in ASEAN countries.

Research on a multiobjective cooperative operation scheduling method for agricultural machinery across regions with time windows

This article aims to solve the problems of high cost, low efficiency, and task delay caused by the lack of scientific scheduling strategies during the agricultural harvest season. Considering the constraints of operation time windows, a multimachine multiobjective cross-regional collaborative operation scheduling model is constructed with the goal of minimizing the transfer distance of agricultural machinery and nonoperational scheduling costs. A multiobjective genetic algorithm (HTSMOGA) based on a hybrid time window priority rule and a tabu search strategy is designed. The initial population is generated by utilizing time window priority rules, genes with earlier operation start times are preferentially retained, and a mixed search strategy is introduced to avoid local optimal solutions. Experiments were conducted among 24 farms in a region of Hebei Province, and the results showed that, compared with other algorithms, the HTSMOGA achieved an average reduction of 17.18 % in the transfer distance of agricultural machine operations and 19.36 % in the nonoperational waiting time. Therefore, this study provides a rational and feasible solution for the cross-regional operation scheduling of agricultural machinery cooperatives and provides theoretical support for ensuring the timely completion of harvesting tasks and the cost savings and efficiency of agricultural machinery operations.

Membangun Komitmen untuk Sukses: Studi Kasus pada Koperasi Petani Bunga di Kopeng Kabupaten Semarang

Human resource management and cooperatives are very important for sustainability and performance in an era of globalization and increasingly fierce economic competition. This study investigates flower farmer cooperatives in Kopeng, Semarang Regency, and focuses on appropriate management methods to increase member commitment, which impacts the success and competitiveness of the cooperative. This research found a lack of knowledge about the components that influence member commitment and how to increase it. This research found that social factors, such as relationships between members, and economic factors, such as financial benefits, have a large influence on member commitment. The research results show that strengthening social relationships and providing financial incentives are effective management strategies to increase member commitment. The research results show that two effective management approaches to increase member commitment are improving social relationships and providing financial incentives. In addition, it was found that increased communication and participation in decision making were important components in increasing member commitment. This research offers theoretical and practical insights into managing member commitment in the context of flower farmer cooperatives and provides recommendations for cooperative practitioners and academics about management strategies that can be implemented to increase member commitment, which in turn will improve cooperative performance and sustainability.

Project Management theories and Corporate Governance: Towards Effective Management of Small Farming Cooperative Projects

Project management is defined as the process of applying project knowledge, skills, tools and processes to the established tasks of a project to fulfil the objectives of the project. The planning, execution, controlling, monitoring and closure processes are guided by domains of expertise such as integration, scope, budget, schedule, quality, procurement, communication, human resources, stakeholder management and risk management. This paper sought to analyze theories of project management and corporate governance for effective management of small farming cooperatives. The study adopted a conceptual approach to demonstrate the managerial processes of the theories of project management and corporate governance and how they relate to one another. In the process the literature has revealed that project management is seen by organizations as new methods to plan and manage changes. These planned activities, if not properly coordinated using project management skills, may lead to an unsuccessful project. Project success depends on number of factors ranging from project efficiency, impact on the customer, impact on the project team impact and business or organizational success. The Corporate governance (CG) has been increasingly prevalent in organizations in recent years, and its significance is now acknowledged on a global scale. It has even been adopted by countries where regulations governing the use of CG in organizations have yet to be implemented. The reason for CG's universal appeal is that it serves as the cornerstone of an organization’s operational structure. The article concludes with the relevance of these theories towards effective management of small farming cooperatives.

T-test analysis for income comparison between members and non-members of livunzu cooperative in chikwawa district, Malawi.

Abstract This study examines the relationship between agricultural cooperatives and farmers’ income. Agricultural cooperatives have been a well-known avenue for improving small-scale farmers’ economic well-being by widening access to resources, markets and collective action. A simple random sample of 293 rice farming households was surveyed. The study employed the use of descriptive statistics to describe the characteristics of the respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data in a household survey targeting cooperative and non-cooperative members. The study employed the use of SPSS package version 28 in data analysis. T-test analysis was used to establish the statistical differences in means of the cooperative and non-cooperative member farmers. It was established that being in a cooperative improves income in rice farming. The results suggested that policies aimed at improving farmer’s access to market power, and production modalities are important intervention avenues that can affect the income of rice farming in the area. The understanding of the relationship between cooperatives and farmers’ income is important for policy makers, development workers and the farmers in their effort to enhance the economic well-being of the farmers.

Loan repayment behavior of beneficiary farmers in primary agricultural cooperative societies in Haryana (India)

Abstract Subject and purpose of work The study examined the loan repayment behavior of beneficiary farmers in Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies in the State of Haryana, India. Material and methods The findings were based on primary as well as secondary data. The secondary data was collected for the period of 2006-2007 to 2018-2019. The primary data was collected in the second quarter of 2022. Results The study concluded that year-wise the maximum percentage of defaulter farmers was 34.97% in 2008-2009 due to the debt relief scheme announced by the Government of India in 2008. Furthermore, it revealed that about 75% of beneficiary farmers repaid their loans regularly after receiving the benefit of interest subvention at 7% by the government of India and the state government. The findings on primary data concluded that most farmers have been repaying their loans regularly, and less than 10% of beneficiary farmers defaulted. The main reason for the default was a loan without security and the anticipation of a loan waive-off scheme. About 19% of beneficiary farmers have been repaying their loans irregularly due to the short time within which loan repayments needed to be made. Conclusions The short time of loan repayment is the main cause of irregular loan repayment behavior. The period of repayment of loans should be extended for one year and it should be considered from the loan issuance date.

EXPERIENCE AND PROSPECTS OF CHINA-UKRAINE ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION IN THE JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE FROM 2013 TO 2023

In 2013, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative with the aim of closely integrating its rapidly developing economy with the economies of countries along the Belt and Road route, creating new opportunities for economic development through complementarity. Ukraine, located in the connecting zone between Europe and Asia, is an important country along the Belt and Road route leading to Europe. 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of China-Ukraine cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, cooperation between China and Ukraine in various fields such as trade and investment has deepened, accumulating rich experience. This article systematically reviews the historical process of China-Ukraine cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past ten years, analyzes the development trends of bilateral trade, and examines the experience accumulated in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, investment, mineral development, and high-tech cooperation within the Belt and Road framework. The challenges faced by the two countries in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative are also analyzed, mainly focusing on the impacts of Ukraine's domestic political instability and policy changes during regime transitions. Economic development in Ukraine has been affected by geopolitical conflicts, resulting in market instability and affecting investment and project progress. These factors pose challenges to the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly the severe impact of the outbreak of war. Additionally, this article introduces the current efforts of China and Ukraine to strengthen communication and cooperation in order to achieve a peaceful resolution as soon as possible. In the future, once the ongoing war comes to an end, both countries can leverage their ten years of experience in economic and trade cooperation. With a stable political situation and increasing market attractiveness in Ukraine, both sides can fully unleash the role of market entities, expand bilateral cooperation, promote the alignment of their economic development strategies, and actively engage in post-war reconstruction cooperation.

Agricultural cooperatives as subjects of agrarian legal relations

Agricultural cooperatives as subjects of agrarian legal relations

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES IN THE ROMANIAN AGRI FOOD SYSTEM

In the recent years, agricultural markets and supply chains have been quite strongly affected, in an unprecedented geopolitical and economic context, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, climate change and the challenges of implementing the European Green Deal. Under these conditions, food has once again emerged as a central element of life, alongside health, and healthy eating for all depends more on social and economic conditions than on the technical aspects of food production and processing. Thus, the need to rethink and revalue local productions, supply chains and the links established at territorial level, in order to increase the resilience of agri-food systems and ensure their sustainable development, emerged. The cooperative model is considered to be suitable to address the challenges generated by transitions to sustainability, and agricultural cooperatives can significantly contribute to increasing the resilience of agri-food systems. Many agricultural cooperatives, from different countries of the world, have managed to adapt to the new situation, proving that they are important entities in the agri-food system. In this paper, we tried to identify some particularities regarding the changes in the cooperative system in Romania, in recent years, as a reaction to the challenges that the agri-food system has to face. For this purpose, we analysed the evolution of agricultural cooperatives before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and estimated the market share in different areas of activity with significant turnover, the evolution of some economic indicators, as well as their dynamics by counties and regions in an attempt to identify their development trends.

Beyond subsistence? The role of rural cooperatives in driving smallholder commercialization in Ethiopia

AbstractThe transition from subsistence to market‐oriented agriculture holds the potential to boost rural economic progress and improve the well‐being of the rural poor in developing countries. Despite this potential, there is limited understanding of the key drivers for smallholder commercialization. In this study, we utilize comprehensive three‐wave panel data collected from three major maize‐producing regions in Ethiopia to examine the role of agricultural cooperatives in promoting smallholder commercialization. Employing a double‐hurdle model, we smallholder commercialization as a two‐step decision process involving market participation and the extent of participation (sales quantity), conditional on market participation. Unobserved heterogeneity is accounted for using a correlated random effect procedure, and the potential endogeneity of cooperative membership is addressed through a control function approach. The findings reveal that cooperative membership increases the probability of market participation and the intensity of sales. However, further analysis demonstrates a heterogeneous relationship between cooperative membership and commercialization, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions to boost the contribution of cooperatives to rural development through commercialization. The main findings highlight that promoting smallholder commercialization through farmer groups necessitates implementing policies to increase cooperative membership, coupled with allocating resources that enhance the contribution of agricultural cooperatives [EconLit Citations: Q12, Q13, Q18].

Spatial distribution, influencing factors and innovative development countermeasures of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province, China

China’s rural reform is reliant on farmers' cooperatives as a key organization vehicle. It plays an important role in promoting rural revitalization. Such as, realizing the organic connection between small farmers and agricultural modernization. This study used the nearest neighbor index and kernel density estimation to analyze the spatial distribution and structural characteristics of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province. It revealed the spatial differentiation law of cooperatives. Also using geographical detectors to figure out the main factors that affect the spatial distribution. The results show that: ① Hunan Farmers Cooperatives show significant spatial agglomeration. The overall spatial distribution shows the spatial characteristics of "one core, one circle, and multiple points". And the spatial distribution pattern of "large agglomeration, finger-shaped radiation distribution". Among them, the distribution of provincial demonstration cooperatives is relatively balanced. ② Cooperatives in six types of industries, such as planting, forestry, and feeding, showed agglomeration distribution. Different industrial cooperatives spread out in different ways, such as in an anti-"L" shape, a dual-core shape, or a one-center area. ③ The 24 influence factors selected from the five dimensions of the natural environment, social economic basis, production basis, output capacity, and facility basis have high, general, and weak influence on cooperatives' spatial distribution. The development and distribution of cooperatives mainly depend on resource endowment, social and economic development level, and market dependence. The spatial distribution heterogeneity of different professional cooperatives is mainly affected by slope, per capita disposable income of rural residents, road density, and other factors. ④ The progression of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province should prioritize high-quality development, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches and transformative strategies within rural industrial organizations. It is imperative to optimize the spatial distribution of cooperatives, strategically contributing to the establishment of a novel framework for modern agricultural development in Hunan Province. Additionally, there is a critical emphasis on spearheading collaborative initiatives among cooperatives of varied industrial types, aimed at fostering the integrated development of rural primary, secondary, and tertiary industries.

Family Planning, Irrigation, and Agricultural Cooperatives for Sustainable Food Security in Kenya

Rapid population growth causes smallholders to practice unsustainable forms of land intensification to meet increasing food demand. Food insecurity is exacerbated by unreliable rainfall. We revisit family planning, smallholder irrigation, and agricultural cooperatives as potential sustainable solutions. We use primary data from Kakamega Central and Navakholo in Kenya. Results from respondents indicate 83% had no family planning information, while 82% had no access to irrigation. The main reasons are poverty, illiteracy, misconceptions, gender inequality, and constraints in accessing credit, lack of investment in water resources, and lack of family planning. Lack of access to agricultural extension services limits the adoption of sustainable farming practices. Cooperatives’ principles and values make them suitable pathways to reach the poorest and facilitate members’ access to productive resources. Cooperatives can be used to train members in sustainable agricultural practices and educate members on family planning issues. Descriptive statistics and econometric regression results suggest that cooperatives have contributed to better yields, incomes, nutritional status, and reduced poverty. However, they are constrained by a lack of capital, credit, infrastructure, markets, training and technology, delayed payment, and low prices. Governments and development agencies should support the establishment and development of cooperatives with capacity building, market infrastructure, finance, and education in cooperative principles and values.

Case study: reducing heating energy consumption in a high tunnel greenhouse with renewable energy and microclimate control by bench-top root-zone heating, bench covers, and under-bench insulation

Appalachian State University's Nexus project designed an efficient greenhouse heating system that integrated renewable energy and root zone heating technology to reduce the greenhouse heating energy burden on local farmers and installed it at local cooperative farms. This study analyzed 5 years of data from 2018 to 2022 to investigate the energy savings and microclimate control effectiveness of the Nexus heating system installed at Springhouse Farm in North Carolina, USA. By varying bench cover materials, bottom insulation, and the number of loops of root zone tubing, the different soil temperatures required for plant types and growth stages were achieved with a single temperature controller. A root zone heating fluid of 32.2 ℃ satisfactorily maintained the germination soil between 20 and 25 ℃ in March 2019 with an average outside temperature of 4.8 ℃ and an average low temperature of − 0.4 ℃. Growing soil maintained an average temperature of 15 ℃ with bottom insulation and an average of 11–12 ℃ without bottom insulation. Compared to the conventional heating system (a forced-air propane unit heater alone), weather-adjusted propane consumption (propane usage divided by heating degree days) was reduced by 65% with the Nexus system alone and 45% with the Nexus system and unit heater together. It shows that the Nexus system has significantly reduced greenhouse heating energy consumption and maintained productive conditions. The renewable energy fraction ranged only 9–13% of the total thermal energy used due to the high inlet temperature entering the solar thermal collector. This can be improved by separating the heat storage and backup heat source.