Cooperative Members Research Articles

Excessive Pharmaceutical Pricing and Repercussions on Paediatric Health Services

Context: Paediatric pharmaceutics have a significant share in expensive drugs. Recent years have seen significant calls for intervention against high prices for pharmaceutical products. The prohibition of prices that are excessive as a form of abuse of dominance is considered as Competition law violation in the European Union Law and national legal orders of its Member States. Majority of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries have similar prohibitions in their respective Competition laws with important exemption of United States (US) Antirust Law, although there is some indication of change in US exactly in the area of pharmaceutical sector. Regulation of excessive prices also exists in Competition laws of all BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, and South Africa) countries. The problem of excessive prices in pharmaceutics is one of the emerging themes in Competition law literature and case law development. This is the area where intellectual property rights, usually patent protection, collide with competition rules. Costs of research and development for such pharmaceutics are often very high emphasizing the need for balance between colliding legitimate interests: access to health and research development. Aim: To present regulatory and case law development of application of excessive prices as form of abuse of dominance in pharmaceutical sector with emphasis on paediatric health services. Data source: OECD, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus. Conclusion: Balance between competition rules on excessive prices as form of abuse of dominance and intellectual property rights in the area of expensive paediatric pharmaceutics can be regarded as suboptimal. Thus, there is a need for further regulatory development and application of rules on excessive prices in that field.

Evaluating the Differential Role of Public-Private Credit Sources in Financing Climate Change Adaptation Technologies for Rural Farmers in Delta State, Nigeria

This study analyses the differential role of public and private credit sources in financing climate change adaptation technologies among rural farmers in Delta State, Nigeria. A multiple-stage random sampling procedure was utilized, and data were collected from 338 farmers employing a semi-structured questionnaire. The investigation uncovered that the average income from formal credit sources (N212,553.85) was essentially higher than from informal sources (N137,514.79). Variables impacting the volume of credit from informal sources included farming experience, marital status, cooperative participation, credit access, interest rates, and income. Conversely, education level, cooperative membership, credit access, and income were key determinants of credit volume from formal sources. The Chow test results indicated a significant structural difference between the two groups, with a calculated statistic of 369.48 exceeding the critical value of 1.936 at the 5% significance level. This highlights a significant difference in the sum borrowed and access to credit between formal and informal sources, underscoring the significant role of formal credit in enhancing climate adaptation among rural farmers.

Climate Change Adaptation Mechanisms for Smallholder Farmers in Côte d’Ivoire

This paper analyzes the adaptation mechanisms employed by smallholder farmers in Côte d'Ivoire in response to climate change. Using data from the World Bank’s CGAP survey (2016) and applying the Heckman’s probit model with sample selection, the study accounts for farmers' perception of climate change and its impact on adaptation strategies. The findings show that perception is a key factor in adopting climate-smart strategies, with access to agricultural information, cooperative membership, insurance, gender, education, and income levels being decisive variables. The study recommends policies that enhance advisory support, promote cooperatives, and ensure gender equality in accessing productive resources. These measures are essential for strengthening the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers in Côte d'Ivoire.

A mixed-method approach to designing an entrepreneurial behavior development model in agricultural cooperatives of Kermanshah Province

IntroductionOne of the main problems of agricultural cooperatives in Kermanshah province is the weakness in developing entrepreneurial behaviors. If these entrepreneurial behaviors are developed in agricultural cooperatives, it can be expected that their innovative products and services will be developed and expanded, and the field of improving food security and advancing rural and agricultural development programs in Kermanshah province will be provided. So, the present study aimed to design an entrepreneurial behavior development model in agricultural cooperatives in Kermanshah province using an exploratory mixed-method approach.MethodsIn the qualitative part of the study, the participating team included all key informed individuals in the entrepreneurship area in the cooperatives of Kermanshah province. Thirty participants were selected by snowball purposive sampling. The statistical population of the quantitative phase involved 530 managers and members of the active agricultural cooperatives in Kermanshah province. Among them, 223 were selected by the stratified sampling method and the use of Krejcie and Morgan's table. The data collected in the qualitative phase were analyzed by the Nvivo8 software, and the grounded theory was developed in the form of a conceptual model. In the model analysis, the research hypotheses were first compiled and then analyzed by the path analysis method in SPSS 23 and SmartPLS3 software.ResultsThe results of the quantitative phase showed that the causal conditions impacting entrepreneurial behavior development in agricultural cooperatives encompassed the acquisition of economic profits, personal incentives, enjoyment of human and financial credits, internal disputes, insufficient knowledge of the members, and managerial supports. The intervening factors consisted of sanctions, market fluctuations, and climatic changes, and contextual factors comprised cultural factors, diverse working areas, insufficient financial supports, the development of new markets, the institutions' rate of participation in and cooperation with cooperatives, and administrative bureaucracy. Likewise, the proposed strategies embraced promotional-educational practices, the constant modernization of cooperatives, reduction in administrative bureaucracy, supporting entrepreneurship, developing marketing, transparency in the cooperative, eliminating the intermediates, and supportive-financial policies, all of which gave rise to some consequences such as self-sufficiency in production, prevention from cooperative's depression, the development of producing capacities, an increase in job creation, and improvement in the livings of people. The mentioned model was also evaluated in the quantitative section and subsequently approved.DiscussionBased on the results, it can be said that for the development of entrepreneurial behaviors in agricultural cooperatives, a set of factors must be considered in interaction with each other. Based on the results, it is recommended to increase the information and awareness of cooperative members in the field of improving entrepreneurial behavior.

Unlocking Potential: Evaluating Nepal's Cooperative-Backed Vegetable Value Chain

Cooperatives play a vital role in rural and agricultural development within value chains. They employ 279 million worldwide, and the top 300 earned $2.1 trillion in 2019, ranking as the 10th largest economy if considered a country. The study examines the current state of the vegetable value chain, the involvement of cooperatives, factors influencing value addition, and the challenges cooperatives encounter within the vegetable value chain. The research utilized structured questionnaires to gather data from 183 participants, comprising 164 farmers, 10 traders, and 9 cooperative members in Nepal's Siraha and Saptari districts. The collected data underwent analysis using a binary logistic regression model. The study found that there is no proper vertical and horizontal linkage among the chain actors. Cooperatives are good at facilitating access to credit, input, and training but their involvement in both input supply and credit services is limited. Among the 31 variables included in the logistic regression, 14 were deemed statistically significant. Particularly, the age of farmers, their off-farm income, access to information, and access to inputs could be instrumental to value addition in the VVC. The study suggests that early-stage co-innovative and collaborative value chains, with better input supply, business planning, and cooperative autonomy, can boost VVC profitability and sustainability. Partnerships and a standard code of conduct among chain actors and cooperatives can further enhance trust and innovation.

Beyond Eradication: Unveiling Local Voices and Proactive Management Strategies for Prosopis juliflora in Eastern Ethiopia's Arid Landscape

The introduction of Prosopis for environmental rehabilitation in Ethiopia's arid regions led to unanticipated consequences. To overcome these challenges, OXFAM introduced a new technology with multiple benefits. This paper examines the local community's perception, the current Prosopis management system, and potential strategies using exploratory research. Data were collected from 55 purposively selected respondents through key informants (09), focus group discussion (05), survey scheduled interviews (13), in-depth household interviews (28), and direct field observation. Data were analyzed thematically and using descriptive statistics. The result of the study revealed that Prosopis is expanding alarmingly in the area. Pastoralist communities in the study area have a negative attitude towards this alien species. The pilot project was found to be essential and supports the government's effort to decrease the Prosopis invasion and provide alternative income sources. The most critical problems that cooperative members faced included access to credit (PCI=39), lack of technical support after the project exits (PCI=32), and the high price of Prosopis pods extraction and charcoal-making machines (PCI=25). The success of the new technologies depends on their acceptance and adoption by the beneficiaries. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate the various efforts made by stakeholders towards sustainable management of Prosopis juliflora. Providing a supportive environment for new businesses during their critical early stages regarding startup capital, market linkage, technical-skill training, and information can help them survive and grow through the vulnerable period. Further projects and interventions should consider using Prosopis for human nutritious foods, medicinal uses, and honey production.

Does agricultural cooperative membership improve farm productive performance? A meta‐regression analysis

AbstractIn this article, we provide a quantitative review of the literature on the effect of cooperative membership on farms productive performance. Based on a dataset composed of 332 estimates from 80 studies, our meta‐regression analysis suggests that the current literature suffers from a severe positive publication bias. After correcting this bias, the overall average effect of cooperative membership on farms' productive performance is positive and statistically significant, but its magnitude is small to negligible. Interestingly, we find that cooperative membership has a stronger effect on yield than on technical efficiency. We also explore how contextual variables and methodological choices affect the reported estimates in the literature.

ATO COOPERATIVO E O ADEQUADO TRATAMENTO TRIBUTÁRIO PARA AS COOPERATIVAS

This study has the general objective of studying the cooperative act and its appropriate tax treatment. In this way, we will reflect on the doctrine, initially providing a brief history of cooperativism, its origin and current evolution, with emphasis on its social character embodied by the corporate type and its principles. To obtain what we propose to do, we use bibliographical research in books, articles, periodicals, legislation and case law. The research results indicate that when it comes to the concept of a cooperative act, it has the reason of the cooperative, in terms of not acting in its own interest, thus seeking an intermediary between the cooperative member and the market. The Federal Constitution of 1988 provided significant changes to cooperatives, with the incentive being creation. Thus, it had the slightest intention of establishing an understanding which defines the elucidation of certain points selected or placed on the agenda for further discussions.

Resource productivity and determinants of technical efficiency among cassava farmers’ in north central, Nigeria

This research analyzed resource productivity and determinants of technical efficiency among cassava farmers in North Central, Nigeria. This research employed a multi-stage sampling technique. Primary data were used based on a well-designed questionnaire. Inferential and descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. The results of resource productivity of inputs show that cassava cuttings and fertilizer have the highest and lowest elasticities, respectively. The mean-TE (Technical Efficiency) score of 74% (0.74) indicates that an average smallholder cassava producer in the sample needs about 26% (0.26) additional inputs to get to the frontier. In the TE components, the coefficients of labour, and fertilizers are significant different from zero at 1% probability level. The coefficients of agrochemicals, land inputs are significantly different from zero at 5% probability level, while the coefficient of cassava cuttings are significant different from zero at 10% probability level. In the TIE (technical inefficiency), component the coefficients of age, credit received, members of cooperatives are significant different from zero at 1% probability level. The policy formulations should be directed towards considering technological substitutions and mechanized agriculture. Excessive labour supply, characteristics of the developing agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, could be pushed into the secondary sector of the Nigerian economy such as the cassava processing industry, therefore generating income, employment and maintaining Nigeria in the first (1st) position in the world ranking in term of cassava output. Also, it is recommended that improved cuttings, agrochemicals, and fertilizers should be made available to cassava farmers at appropriate time to increase productivity. Furthermore, credit should be made available to cassava farmers at a single digit interest rate, devoid of cumbersome administrative procedures. Keywords: Resource productivity, technical efficiency, cassava farmers, stochastic frontier model, Nigeria

Legal Protection of Savings and Loan Cooperative Members' Funds Related to Payment Delays and Bankruptcy in Economic Development

This research was conducted with the aim of knowing the legal protection of KSP members' funds, then analyzed using the theory of legal protection with an economic approach. The scope of the research includes that cooperative members' funds are only covered by the KSP management. Summary of the problem in the research, currently there are many cases of KSP failing to pay cooperative members, due to irregularities carried out by KSP Management, to the point where KSP is declared bankrupt. However, the provisions of the law regarding cooperatives do not yet regulate the protection of KSP members' funds. The findings from this research are the amendment of Law Number 25 of 1992 to Law Number 17 of 2012 and the Decree of the Minister of Cooperatives (Kepmenkop) Number 351/Kep/XII/1998, these three regulations do not yet regulate the protection of KSP members' funds. Then, this research uses a type of juridical-normative research and is supported by literature study, and from the results of this research it is found that the protection of KSP members' funds is only handled by the KSP management and is not regulated in the provisions of the Cooperative Law and there is no guarantee institution for KSP members' funds such as banks, namely, Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS). Therefore, it is necessary to establish legal provisions that regulate the protection of KSP members' funds and establish a deposit insurance agency to guarantee members' funds, apart from being paid by the KSP management, in order to provide legal certainty and guarantee the protection of KSP members' savings funds.

Agricultural cooperatives as a means of promoting local economic development in a township in South Africa

ABSTRACT Cooperatives have long been recognized as a collaborative effort by a group of individuals to address their social and economic needs. In South Africa, cooperatives have been adopted to address the triple challenge of poverty, inequality, and unemployment. Drawing on 15 face-to-face interviews with members of agricultural cooperatives in a township in South Africa, this study interrogates the extent to which agricultural cooperative can enhance local economic development and sustain livelihoods. Agricultural cooperatives have been widely supported and promoted as a vehicle for smallholder farmers to directly participate in the mainstream economy of South Africa. The interviews suggest that some cooperatives were found to efficiently sustain livelihoods, and create limited job opportunities in the community. However, challenges like lack of resources, inadequate training, unregulated management, as well as other underlying internal and external shocks are hindering the contribution of the cooperatives to the local economy.

The Impact of Green Trade Openness on Air Quality

Environmental degradation is among the most pressing issues the world faces today. Air pollution is one of the many forms of environmental degradation and can drastically impact human health and ecosystem functioning. Research shows that rapid intervention strategies are required to achieve the environmental targets set out by international agreements. One strategy that has been widely accepted to combat this issue of environmental degradation is the introduction of green products. The adoption of green products can be increased through trade. However, knowledge of the impact of trading these products is limited. This study examines the relationship between the trading of green products and air quality in a case study of 33 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries from 2003-2016. We employ several panel strategies, such as the Westerlund (2008) Durbin-H method for cointegration and the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MM-QR). The trading of green products was proxied by the newly developed ‘Green Openness Index.’ Nitrous oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions served as proxies for air pollution. The relationship between the variables was explored in the context of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). The cointegration analysis reveals that there is a long-run relationship among the series. Long-run estimations prove that the EKC hypothesis is valid for the analyzed series. Additionally, the empirical findings reveal that trading environmentally friendly products increases air quality while energy consumption decreases. We provide several policy suggestions based on the study’s outcomes, such as supporting the trade liberalization of green goods, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers for environmentally friendly products, and promoting the adoption of environmentally friendly goods by providing subsidies and other tax incentives to consumers.

Can the European nuclear power industry compete with the Chinese nuclear power industry?

European commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told Le Journal du Dimanche in January 2022, “Existing nuclear plants alone will need 50 billion euros of investment from now until 2030. And new generation ones will need 500 billion”. This paper considers whether these values are realistic. Further, it asks whether these investments would yield an internationally competitive European nuclear power infrastructure given that the nuclear power industries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries have lost global nuclear market share to Russian and Chinese firms since 1995.The paper investigates whether the European nuclear industry even with massive investment can compete with the Chinese nuclear industries. It concludes that the European (in particular, the French) nuclear power industry will be unlikely to be cost competitive with the Chinese nuclear power industry unless financing and new plant orders are immediately forthcoming. To achieve carbon neutrality, the issue becomes whether European Union countries can afford indigenous nuclear technologies or will need to import nuclear power plants from Asia.

Determinants of Economic Wellbeing Among Cooperative Members in Rolpa District, Nepal

Determinants of Economic Wellbeing Among Cooperative Members in Rolpa District, Nepal

The Nexus between Cluster Farming and Household Dietary Diversity among Smallholder Wheat Farmers in Ethiopia

This study examined the nexus between cluster farming and household dietary diversity among smallholder wheat farmers in Oromia region, Ethiopia. Three-stage sampling procedures were employed to gather data from 384 household heads on a cross-sectional survey that was carried out in June 2022. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for data analysis. The average, minimum, and maximum household dietary diversity scores were 7.10, 1, and 11, respectively. A significant difference was observed: participants in cluster farming had 14% more dietary diversity than their counterparts. Sex, marital status, participation in wheat cluster farming, home gardening, off-farm income, number of crops grown, cooperative membership, and access to training determined household dietary diversity. The study indicates that dietary diversity in households is influenced by a variety of factors. While wheat cluster-based farming is heavily promoted, household food and nutrition security also need to consider other elements like home gardening, off-farm income, cooperative membership, and training access.

Intensity of Adoption of Improved Malt Barley Production Technologies in Ethiopia: A Case Study in Oromia Region

Improved malt barley production technology packages are not yet widely adopted in Ethiopia. Stakeholders, including brewers, malt factories, research institutes, and farmer-based organizations, have been collaborating and promoting new malt barley production technologies in order to boost the intensity of acceptance. The aim of this study was to find out the intensity of improved malt barley production technologies adoption in Arsi zones, Oromia region, Ethiopia. A stratified random sampling approach with multiple stages was employed to collect primary data from 384 malt barley household heads. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the intensity of adoption of improved malt barley production technologies was determined using an econometric Tobit regression model. The findings specified that the most adopted improved malt barley variety was Traveler (47.92%), which was followed in descending order by Iboni (14.58%), Sabini (9.38%), Grace (5.47%), Holker (4.43%), and 18.23% unnamed varieties. The Tobit model result also depicted that the intensity to which improved malt barley varieties adopted were affected by, taking into account factors including contract farming involvement, cooperative membership, off-farm income, size of livestock holdings, access to training, and mobile ownership. Enhancing farmers’ knowledge of the advantages of contract farming, income diversification, and mobile phone-based information delivery are among the many ways to support access to and accelerate the adoption of improved malt barley technology in the research area and beyond.

Rural health care access and financing among cooperative members in rural Nigeria

Rural areas in developing countries have limited access to inclusive healthcare delivery and financing. Membership in cooperatives has been suggested as a pathway to rural health inclusiveness. However, whether cooperative membership supports rural health access and financing remains unclear. This study appraises rural healthcare access and financing, and whether membership in cooperative societies offers healthcare advantages to rural households in Nigeria. Primary data were collected in 45 rural communities consisting of 900 households as respondents. Healthcare access is limited among rural households with only 1.1% of pregnant women having access to maternity healthcare. Traditional healthcare access and self-medication exist (27%), in addition to the use of medicine stores (23.2%) and poorly equipped private medical facilities (13.8%) in rural areas. Cooperative organisations provide limited support to healthcare access (74%) for the members. Similarly, rural health financing support from the cooperative is almost non-existent (73.6%). There is a near absence of health insurance (90.8%) in rural areas. However, rural healthcare financing support for the employed exists (31.7%). Rural households find support for healthcare access from family (1.3%), personal savings, and sales of assets (16.2%) while the majority (82.5%) use herbs at no quantifiable cost to meet healthcare needs. Cooperative societies must be educated on the need to incorporate healthcare packages into their products for members. Rural healthcare policies should pay significant attention to how long it takes rural inhabitants to reach existing healthcare facilities.

Conjoint Analysis to Measure Millennial Generation's Preferences on the Role of Technology in the Existence of Mitra Batik Cooperatives in Tasikmalaya

As a people's economic movement founded on the concept of kinship, a cooperative is a corporate company made up of individuals or cooperative legal entities that engage in cooperatively-based activities. In the city of Tasikmalaya alone there are 603 ooperatives with an active level of 44%. Mitra batik cooperative is one of the oldest consumer cooperatives in Tasikmalaya. In an effort to develop cooperatives, mitra batik cooperatives are faced with a situation where they still have various obstacles for their development, one of which is the low interest and awareness of the community members to participate in cooperatives. In an effort to increase the number of cooperative members, the authors intend to conduct research on the preferences of Tasikmalaya people, especially millennial generation to participate in maintaining the existence of mitra batik cooperatives. The method used is conjoint analysis. According to the research results, millennials consider technology the most significant aspect in preserving mitra batik cooperatives in Tasikmalaya. In the digital age, technology is a crucial element. Millennials like technology's ease. The millennial generation must develop technology to preserve mitra batik cooperatives in Tasikmalaya. Due to the fast expansion of banking, particularly in technology, cooperatives must keep up with technology.

Preparing digital advancements in Pasteur Subdistrict cooperatives

The digital economy presents significant opportunities for cooperatives to improve their governance and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-s) 8, which promotes decent work and inclusive economic growth. As business entities based on economic democracy, cooperatives have the potential to drive the digital economy and enhance the well-being of their members. However, cooperatives in Pasteur, West Java, face various governance challenges, including inadequate bookkeeping, member arrears on savings and loans, and low digital literacy. These hinder the performance and development of the cooperatives. A series of training programs on cooperative governance and human resource management were designed to address these challenges. The program also aimed to improve the digital literacy of cooperative leaders and members and assist them in managing financial and operational aspects more transparently, accountably, and efficiently. The training program proved effective in enhancing the knowledge and skills of cooperative leaders and members in utilizing digital applications for good governance. This led to positive outcomes such as improved bookkeeping, increased savings and loan repayment rates, and more participative and transparent decision-making.

Auditing road safety achievement using MEREC–ARAS–QBKM model: an empirical study for APEC member economies

Progress monitoring and action recalibrations are advocated as promising methods for improving road safety, which significantly relates to economic stability and social development. To achieve this, an auditing framework that can evaluate road safety and aid in policymaking is urgently required. To this end, this study developed a systemic decision model that integrates the method based on the removal effects of criteria (MEREC), additive ratio assessment (ARAS), and quantile-based k-means clustering (QBKM), termed MEREC–ARAS–QBKM, with the aim of auditing road safety achievements and providing corresponding policy suggestions with substantial reliability. In particular, the performance of the traditional k-means clustering model was improved by implanting quantiles to determine the initial clustering, which overcomes the uncertainty of k-means clustering owing to the variety of initial cluster centers. Multiple comparisons of empirical results based on a case study of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies verified the robustness of the proposed model, demonstrating its applicability, practicability, and reliability in handling real-world multi-criteria decision-making problems in the field of road safety. The empirical findings show that road safety developments among the APEC countries are of class differentiation, suggesting an urgent regional benchmarking. Overall, the proposed methodology empowers decision-makers and policymakers in APEC to swiftly formulate effective action plans, countermeasures, and investment schemes, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of road safety performance and socio-economic benefit across APEC members.