Cooperative Participation Research Articles

ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF COORPERATIVE SOCIETIES ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN GOMBE METROPOLIS, GOMBE STATE NIGERIA

This study assessed the impact of cooperative societies on women empowerment in Gombemetropolis, Gombe Sate Nigeria. The study examined the socio-economic characteristics ofwomen cooperatives in Gombe metropolis, identifies the sources of income of the cooperativesocieties, assessed the impact of cooperative societies on women empowerment and investigatedthe challenges faced by the cooperative societies. Data was gathered from systematically selectedwomen based on Taro Yamene formula with error margin of 0.01 (10%) out of the 19 registeredand functional cooperatives in Gombe metropolis. Descriptive statistics were employed inanalyzing the data which found that the predominant sources of income of the cooperativesocieties was membership contributions (30%), 53% of the respondents said that they benefittedfrom the dividends shared by the cooperatives, which some used in acquiring landed propertiesand payment of children’s school fees (30% and 27%) respectively. Relationship between thesocio-economic characteristics of the cooperators as independent variables and participation incooperatives as dependent variable was tested using chi-square, the result shows that out ofseven independent variables, six were statistically significant. The study concluded that womencooperators have been moderately empowered economically to meet up with basic needs of thefamily. Therefore, the government and development organizations should enhance theeffectiveness of cooperative societies through sustained awareness campaign and financialsupport for sustainable development.Keywords: Assessment, Cooperative, Empowerment, societies, Women

THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTING IN COMPANY MANAGEMENT

Financial reporting is the primary public source of information that provides an opportunity to characterize the financial position of a company. Based on its data, it is possible to determine not only the reliability of the organization, but also its competitiveness, the fact that, of course, is a guarantee of successful interaction of all participants of the economic cooperation of all participants. The use of financial statements as an information base for managing a company contributes to the achievement of complexity, as well as allows interested users to inspect the object, taking into account all its external and internal financial statements. On the basis of complex analysis it is possible to find out the reasons for the achieved successes, to give an assessment of the financial position with a retrospective point of view, and also the lack of financial - economic activity, which will allow you to make a timely appointment.

Effects of social capital on farmers’ choices of climate change adaptation behavior in Dazu District, China

ABSTRACT This study explores the effects of social capital on farmers’ choices of climate change adaptation behavior in Dazu District, China. A total of 228 questionnaires were obtained from randomly sampled households. Social capital was divided into social networks, participation, reciprocity and trust. The adaptation behaviors in the study area were identified as crop adjustment, environmental improvement, financial management, and livelihood diversification. A boosted regression tree model was used to analyze the effects of different dimensions of social capital on farmers’ choices of climate change adaptation behavior. The results show that most farmers in Dazu District of Chongqing have adopted crop adjustment adaptation behavior. The social capital and socioeconomic characteristics of farmers have different impacts on different adaptation behaviors. Among social capital, the largest influence on climate change adaptation behavior is the degree of trust in the information of agricultural technology extension service centers, and the lowest influence is participation in rural cooperatives. In terms of socioeconomic characteristics, the largest impact on climate change adaptation behavior is agricultural income share, and the lowest impact is gender. The findings of this study can provide empirical support for governments to formulate effective policies to improve farmers’ climate change adaptation capabilities.

The Value of Python Programming in General Education and Comprehensive Quality Improvement of Medical Students Based on a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the application value of Python programming in general education and comprehensive quality improvement of medical students. Methods A retrospective analysis was made on the application value of Python programming in the general education classroom of medical students from September 2020 to July 2021 by undergraduate students majoring in anesthesia in grade 2020, imaging in grade 2019, clinical in grade 2020, and laboratory sciences in grade 2020 in our university. A hundred students who used Python programming in general education class were divided into study group and control group. The teaching satisfaction, medical knowledge and lifelong learning ability, clinical skills, medical service ability, disease prevention, health promotion ability, interpersonal communication ability, and information management and research ability were compared between the two groups. Results In a comparison of teaching satisfaction between the two groups, the study group was very satisfied in 89 cases, satisfactory in 10 cases, and general in 1 case, and the satisfaction rate was 100.00%; the control group was very satisfied in 54 cases, satisfactory in 23 cases, general in 13 cases, and dissatisfied in 10 cases, and the satisfaction rate was 90.00%. The teaching satisfaction in the study group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, medical knowledge ability (basic knowledge, general education, and professional knowledge) and lifelong learning ability (learning concept and professional learning attitude) in the research group were significantly higher than those in the research group (P < 0.05). The scores of clinical skills (medical history analysis, basic diagnosis, treatment techniques, and disease analysis) and medical service ability (first aid ability, comprehensive analysis ability, and disease analysis ability) in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). In terms of the ability of disease prevention and health promotion, the scores of disease prevention (health guidance, health education, and self-care) and health promotion ability (cooperative participation in diagnosis and treatment, guidance of medical and health work, and rational use of health resources) in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the comparison of interpersonal communication ability, the scores of listening, expression, understanding, trust, medical terminology, and communication ability in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Comparing information management with research ability, the scores of information management ability (searching information, screening information, and sorting information) and research ability (arrangement ability, planning ability, and execution ability) in the research group were higher than those in the control group, and the data difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion The application of the Python programming method in general education and comprehensive quality improvement of medical students can effectively improve medical students' teaching satisfaction and medical knowledge such as lifelong learning ability, clinical skills, medical service ability, disease prevention, health promotion ability, interpersonal communication ability, and information management and research ability, which has a positive impact on the improvement of comprehensive quality.

Shyness and School Engagement in Chinese Suburban Preschoolers: A Moderated Mediation Model of Teacher-Child Closeness and Child Gender.

Shyness is associated with poorer preschool engagement, but few studies have evaluated the underlying mechanisms in Chinese preschoolers. This study explored the mediating role of teacher–child closeness and the moderating role of child gender in the association between shyness and school engagement to fill this gap. With the cluster sampling method, a total of 532 young children (240 girls; Mage = 4.29 years, SD = 0.65 years) were recruited from 15 suburban kindergartens in East China. Mothers rated children’s shyness, and teachers evaluated children’s school engagement and teacher–child closeness five months later. The results reveal the following: (1) Shyness was related to higher cooperative participation and lower school avoidance; (2) Teacher–child closeness mediated the relationships between shyness and school engagement. Specifically, shyness negatively predicted teacher–child closeness, and teacher–child closeness positively predicted cooperative and independent participations and school liking, and negatively predicted school avoidance; (3) Child gender moderated the relationship between shyness and school engagement, and specifically, for boys but not girls, shyness was significantly linked with lower school avoidance; for girls but not boys, shyness was significantly related to higher cooperative participation and lower independent participation. These findings have implications for the school engagement of preschoolers.

Carcinoecium-Forming Sea Anemone Stylobates calcifer sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Actiniaria, Actiniidae) from the Japanese Deep-Sea Floor: A Taxonomical Description with Its Ecological Observations.

Here we describe Stylobates calcifer sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Actiniaria, Actiniidae), a new carcinoecium-forming sea anemone from the deep-sea floor of Japan. Stylobates produces a carcinoecium that thinly covers the snail shells inhabited by host hermit crabs Pagurodofleinia doederleini. The new species is distinct from other species by the shape of the marginal sphincter muscle, the distribution of cnidae, the direction of the oral disk, and host association. The species' novelty is supported by the data of its mitochondrial genes 12S, 16S, and COIII and nuclear genes 18S and 28S. Also, we conducted behavioral observation of this new species, focusing on the feeding behavior and interaction with the specific host hermit crab. Our observations suggest that this sea anemone potentially feeds on the suspended particulate organic matter from the water column or the food residuals of hermit crabs. When the host's shell changed, intensive manipulation for transference of S. calcifer sp. nov. was recorded. However, although the hermit crab detached and transferred the sea anemone to the new shell after shell change, the sea anemone did not exhibit active or cooperative participation. Our data suggest that the sea anemone may not produce a carcinoecium synchronously to its host's growth, contrary to the anecdotal assumption about carcinoecium-forming sea anemones. Conversely, the host hermit crab's growth may not depend entirely on the carcinoecium produced by the sea anemone. This study is perhaps the first observation of the behavioral interaction of the rarely studied carcinoecium-forming mutualism in the deep sea.

THE PROCESS OF POWER/KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION IN THE PERIOD OF KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION: A CASE STUDY ON COLLECTIVE CHOREOGRAPHY

Taking knowledge sharing between authoritative teachers and group dancers in a group dance rehearsal as the research object, here we are analyzing relevant literature and using the methods of interview and observation to collect relevant data. Then, we have been using the method of qualitative research to code the collected data and build the theoretical model of power / knowledge integration process in the knowledge exploration period for a group dance rehearsal. The constructed model further enriches the existing theoretical research area. This study may also help predict the problems that will occur in the process of knowledge integration, that is, the potential influencing factors. Thus, the participants of the process in question could adjust themselves through a better grasp of the dynamic process of knowledge integration. Better preparation and participation in cooperation inside the performance team can make team planning and team organization much more sufficient.

Research on the Influence Mechanism of Enterprises' Participation in School Enterprise Cooperation Based on the Analysis Framework of Theory of Planned Behavior.

School enterprise cooperation, as the basic school running form of applied undergraduate education, is an important way to cultivate applied talents. However, at present, the lack of motivation for enterprises to participate in school enterprise cooperation and the resulting problem of “school hot and enterprise cold” seriously limit the talent training quality in China’s application-oriented universities. There is an urgent need to explore the influencing factors and mechanisms of enterprises’ participation in school enterprise cooperation to improve the training quality of applied talents. Taking Ajzen (2002) Theory of Planned Behavior as the theoretical framework, this study constructs the influencing factor model of enterprise participation in school enterprise cooperation from four aspects, namely, behavior attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control, and behavior intention. In this study, participants (N = 250) completed a questionnaire assessing their participation in school enterprise cooperation, which was analyzed by a structural equation model. The results show that the behavior attitude and perceived behavior control of enterprises have a significant positive impact on their intention to participate in school enterprise cooperation and then have a significant positive impact on the school enterprise cooperation behavior of enterprises. The behavior intention and perceived behavior control of enterprises have a significant positive impact on their participation in school enterprise cooperation. The policy environment has a significant regulatory effect on the relationship between the intention and behavior of enterprises’ participation in school enterprise cooperation. Therefore, from the perspective of enhancing the intention of enterprises to cooperate, colleges and universities should establish the awareness of win-win cooperation and meet the interest demands of enterprises in school enterprise cooperation in order to improve the behavior attitude and intention of enterprises. From the perspective of the formation conditions of school enterprise cooperation, with the help of industry associations, an information service platform for school enterprise cooperation should be built in order to eliminate the information islands between enterprises and universities. From the perspective of the needs of school enterprise cooperation environment, government departments should strengthen the policy support for school enterprise cooperation in order to eliminate the worries of enterprises’ participation in school enterprise cooperation.

REDUCTION OF CORRUPTION RISKS AS A NECESSARY CONDITION FUNCTIONING OF ROAD INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES

The relevance of the issue of diversification of the tools of economic cooperation of territorial communities in Ukraine has been revealed. The purpose of the study is to determine the directions of diversification of the toolkit of economic cooperation of territorial communities. It has been established that the real state of affairs on the ground is evidence that domestic regional policy is still low effective, and it has been proven that one of the leading reasons for this is the low initiative and capacity of local self-government bodies, in particular the use of such a tool as inter-municipal cooperation. It is noted that the use of this tool allows you to combine, attract, replace capital and assets, opportunities and potential, to weaken your own weaknesses and positions due to cooperation. The concept of the life cycle development algorithm of inter-municipal cooperation of the territorial community is proposed and developed. A toolkit for expanding inter-municipal community cooperation in the field of local economic development has been developed. In addition, balanced, rational and full-fledged inter-municipal cooperation is able to significantly expand and diversify the toolkit for stimulating local economic development of communities – participants in cooperation. In particular, it is advisable to try to implement as wide a range of economic instruments as possible, in particular in the following areas: financial and investment, budgetary, credit, grant, socio-economic. The practical significance of the research results lies in the expansion of the set of tools that local self-government bodies can use to intensify inter-municipal community cooperation in the field of local economic development. The scientific novelty of the research results lies in deepening the means of public management of local economic development.

International Cooperation in Investigating Economic Crimes of Transnational Nature

The purpose of the research is to highlight international cooperation in investigation of economic crimes of a transnational nature. The main content. It is emphasized that the concept of “international cooperation in fight against crimes” is in the sphere of action of various legal systems of both international public law and domestic law of states (countries) taking part in cooperation.”. It is established that it is necessary to clearly delineate the subject of international legal regulation of this type of interaction between states and international organizations. Methodology. Review of materials and methods based on analyzing documentary materials of international cooperation in investigating economic crimes of transnational nature. Conclusions. Due to objective reasons and circumstances modern international relations are characterized by expansion of legal cooperation in investigating economic crimes of transnational nature. At the same time, certain entities can be clearly distinguished in the circle of participants of such cooperation. Considering their goals of creation, their range of powers and features of their implementation such entities operate only in the fight against crimes at the international level - these are international law enforcement organizations.

Women Participation and Empowerment in the Cooperative Organisations in South Africa

Abstract Development agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs), and government organisations around the world aim to advance women in all spheres of their lives. Cooperatives have been recognised as an imperative mechanism to increase capital initiatives and development within disadvantaged communities. This study examined the role of cooperatives in empowering women to throw some light on how active participation and membership in cooperatives can empower women to improve their skills, social needs, and ambitions to eliminate poverty and create jobs. Survey research was employed in the study. One hundred and ten (110) members responded to a questionnaire to decipher respondents’ perceptions of the level of participation, empowerment, capacitation and perceived benefits. The findings of the study demonstrated that capacitation, empowerment and participation influence change on the benefits of membership in a cooperative as they provide an affirmative impact on development and individual growth. However, the study also revealed that women lack skills and training, sound management, and continuous government support. The study, therefore, recommended continual support from the government and the private sector by providing financial support, training and workshops for women in cooperatives to empower themselves and contribute considerably to job development and poverty reduction in local and regional areas.

Factors Affecting the Evolution of Technical Cooperation among “Belt and Road Initiative” Countries Based on TERGMs and ERGMs

The Belt and Road Initiative (B&amp;R), was initiated by China in 2013, and it covers over 60% and 30% of the world’s population and GDP, respectively. The initiative has directed a great deal of investment in energy, transportation, and 5G. Whilst much attention has been focused on cooperation in international trade, technological cooperation in the form of patents has been largely ignored. This paper investigates the formation of technological cooperative relationships among B&amp;R countries within a technical cooperation network. Comprehensive consideration of various factors between participating countries was undertaken, using statistical methods from social network analysis theory. The node attributes and relations between countries and the network structure were studied in a sequence of network analyses using temporal exponential random graph models (TERGMs) and static exponential random graph models (ERGMs). The main findings suggest that research ability, financial ability, technological innovation ability, technological spillover proximity, geographical proximity, and technical proximity have an impact on participation in technical cooperation between B&amp;R countries. Research ability, technological spillover proximity, geographical proximity, and technical proximity have a positive influence on the development of cooperation. However, the financial and technological innovation ability of a country does not actively promote the development of cooperation. The entire cooperation network structure does not have a greater aggregation effect compared with a random network, and intermediary multi-path cooperation is not obvious. This paper analyzes the driving factors for technological cooperation through a systematic study of the characteristics and relationships of B&amp;R countries, and also of the network characteristics among B&amp;R countries. The results of our analysis show that the characteristics of technical cooperation in the B&amp;R region provide a reference for the study of international technical cooperation.

Determinants of Member Participation in Activities of Multipurpose Primary Cooperatives: The Case of Kindo Koysha District, Southern Ethiopia

In the modern global economy, members’ active participation is critical to the successful implementation of cooperative groups’ planned activities. The objectives of this study were to investigate the participation of cooperative members in MPPCs activities and to determine the factors that influence the participation of members in multipurpose cooperatives in the Kindo Koysha district. The study location was chosen for this purpose because no prior in-depth research had been conducted. The multipurpose primary cooperatives were chosen from among the four in the study area based on agro-ecological classifications such as high land, medium land, and low land. The target population of 752 people (M = 594 and F = 158) was chosen using a simple random sample technique with a probability proportional to the size sampling technique (PPS), whereas 106 sample respondents (M = 84 and F = 22) were chosen using (Yamane) implified formula. Primary data were collected using the interview schedule supplied to sample respondents, focus group discussion checklists, and key informant interviews. Secondary data were also collected from several public and unpublished sources. The level of participation in multipurpose cooperatives was measured by computing the participation index score value. The participation of members has been classified as low, medium, or high based on the mean value, which is 40 (37.5%), 50 (47.2%), and 16 (15.1%), respectively. The ordered logit model was utilized for data analysis, and percentages, mean differences, one-way ANOVA, Spearman correlation, and the chi-square test were performed. According to the findings, education level, family size, total annual income, shareholding amount, access to saving and credit, distance from the cooperative service center, access to and utilization of agricultural inputs, services rendered by MPPCs, perceived challenges of MPPCs that discourage membership, and perceived members satisfaction with cooperative services are the determinant factors that affect the level of membership participation. Continuous education and training, encouraging the issue of family planning, diversification of income-generating schemes, encouraging existing members to buy additional shares, creating the best opportunity for saving and credit, need-based supply of agricultural inputs, resolving the internal and external constraints of multipurpose cooperatives, and strengthening the MPPCs through research-based technical support and follow-up are some of the suggested implications.

Cooperativism and Microcredit: an analysis of the participation of cooperatives in the supply of microcredit in Brazil

This study analyzes the participation of Brazilian credit unions in the provision of microcredit in the period from 2017 to 2019. The cooperatives belonging to the four main cooperative credit systems in the country were considered: Cresol, Sicoob, Sicredi and Unicred. To meet the proposed objective, a documentary research was carried out as from the survey of secondary data from official agencies, in addition to data from the financial and accounting reports of the analyzed institutions. The literature consulted points out that credit unions have a greater incentive to carry out solidarity credit and microcredit operations, given their social nature. The results presented evidence that the microcredit offer by the analyzed cooperative systems is not very significant, representing, on average, less than 10% of the total microcredit portfolio in the analyzed years. The main conclusion is that most Brazilian credit unions, with the exception of those that compose the solidarity segment, have not had a significant participation in the supply of microcredit. It is hoped that these findings can contribute to the development of policies capable of changing this picture, that is, that these institutions, considered by the literature as the ideal model of organization to operate microcredit, can potentialize actions towards a greater insertion in the supply of microcredit.

Patient Involvement in the Health Technology Assessment Process in Taiwan.

The COVID-19 pandemic initially had a smaller impact on Taiwan than on most other industrialized countries. However, an outbreak in late April 2021 led to a sharp surge in cases from mid-May 2021. Patient involvement in the health technology assessment (HTA) process, however, was not much affected by this; virtual meetings were implemented. This descriptive paper presents an overview of patient involvement in the HTA process in Taiwan via the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) online submission platform, participation in appraisal committees, education programs, and cooperation with patients' organizations, and outlines its progress and challenges. The National Health Insurance Act, amended in 2013, protects patients' rights and invites them to voice their opinions, which are then presented to the relevant authority. Based on this act, various mechanisms have been developed to involve patients, caregivers, and patient organizations in both the HTA and the reimbursement process. Prior to the Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme (PBRS) Joint Committee meeting, the NHIA built an online platform that allows patients to submit their opinions, which are then incorporated into the HTA reports. The results are also discussed with patient representatives, following which the related documents are published on the NHIA website. From May 2015 to December 2020, 30 patients' insights were published before the PBRS Joint Committee meetings. Of these, 19 (63%) were related to oncology cases. In Taiwan, approaches to fostering patient engagement include the use of a platform for patients' and patients groups' input, among others. Although patient engagement is important for understanding the needs of the target patient population, challenges in ensuring timely patient engagement and provision of relevant resources remain. In addition, further efforts are needed to implement and improve the visibility of patient input in the HTA process.

Conforming with peers in honesty and cooperation

Peer observation can influence social norm perceptions as well as behavior in various moral domains, but is the tendency to be influenced by and conform with peers domain-general? In an online experiment (N = 815), we studied peer effects in honesty and cooperation and tested the individual-level links between these two moral domains. Participants completed both honesty and cooperation tasks after observing their peers. Consistent with the literature, separate analysis of the two domains indicated both negative and positive peer influences in honesty and in cooperation, with negative influences tending to be stronger. Behavioral tests linking the two domains at the individual-level revealed that cooperative participants were also more honest—a link that was associated with low Machiavellianism scores. While standard personality trait measures showed no links between the two domains in the tendency to conform, individual-level tests suggested that conformism is a domain-general behavioral trait observed across honesty and cooperation. Based on these findings, we discuss the potential of and difficulties in using peer observation to influence social norm compliance as an avenue for further research and as a tool to promote social welfare.

Ukristei as an integral component of Ukraine’s innovation system

In general, during the last years international cooperation in the scientific and technical sphere is characterized by active contacts and exchange, wide range of interesting perspective projects, proper level of regulatory and legal support and powerful basis for further development of relations between scientific and educational institutions. The separate significant area of the scientific and technical segment of Ukraine’s cooperation is activity in the sphere of innovations and technological transfer. Ukraine, like other UN member states, has joined the global process of ensuring sustainable development in order to create favorable conditions for development and wider application of innovations. Within the framework of the development of Ukraine’s diplomatic relations with EU member states, Eastern Partnership countries, participation in bilateral scientific and technical cooperation within the framework of intergovernmental agreements, cooperation with international organizations and foundations has reached a much higher level of strategic partnership. Ukraine is an active participant of international cooperation in the sphere of technology transfer. Ukrainian international cooperation in modern conditions needs new mindset and approaches. As a result of the redistribution of the international balance of forces with the participation of Ukraine existing integration blocks are being modified, additional opportunities for the creation of new configurations of the international scientific and technical partnership were arised. The transfer of innovative technologies is of particular importance. International cooperation is one of the effective tools of Ukraine’s integration and forms a special common space area, which is a continuous flow source of technological innovations and a convenient tool of innovation development in the field of technological transfer. Cooperation with foreign scientists will allow to create specialized databases of technologies/developments; conduct of research on the definition of exchange regulation of scientific and technical products; attracting the best experts for scientific and technical expertise; consulting support of business-incubators and startup-companies; coordination of joint researches; participation in business and technological cooperation of partner countries as a component of the general innovation space.

АРКТИКА У ЗОВНІШНІЙ ПОЛІТИЦІ НІМЕЧЧИНИ ХХ СТ.

The article attempts to analyze the role of the Arctic region in the foreign policy of Germany in the 20th century. It was revealed the influence of the internal political situation in the state on the manifestation of cyclicality in the use of certain mechanisms and tools for the implementation of foreign policy initiatives in the Arctic. At the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries, Germany actively used scientific researchers in the Arctic, which were introduced in the initiation of the International Polar Year (synchronous meteorological research in the Arctic) and participation in a number of international expeditions to the region. After the First World War, the Weimar Republic continued to participate in international polar research, but in the form of technological modernization of expeditions during the Second International Polar Year, which allowed the state to emerge from international isolation. Internal political changes in Germany with A. Hitler coming to power, contributed to the formation of the Arctic as a strategic direction of the Third Reich’s foreign policy during the Second World War – the occupation of the Arctic states (Norway, Denmark) and the use of their territory and the Arctic in the “weather war”. Cyclicality in Germany’s foreign policy regarding the Arctic was manifested with the return of a part of divided Germany, namely, West Germany, to participation in international scientific cooperation in the region during the Cold War era. The author came to the conclusion that the basis of Germany’s foreign policy initiatives in the 20th century, its active participation in international cooperation in the Arctic in the scientific and technological spheres contributed to the involvement of Germany, already united within modern borders, to the existing multilateral institutions of cooperation in the region.

Livelihood and Income Diversification Assessment in Northern Nigeria: Evidence from Sudano-Sahelian Region

Agriculture and other income-generating activities in the Sudano-Sahelian region face many natural and human constraints that affect households' economic activities and livelihood development over time. Stratified and simple random sampling considered 1,200 households across four (4) Sudano-Sahelian States with 300 respondents each from Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi and Gombe. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire to information on livelihood and income generating activities. The findings regarding household demographics indicated active age, moderate farming experience and average income, respectively. The results further show overall access to credit, market, extension contact and cooperative participation of 14.68%%, 73.21%, 56.90% and 63.28%, respectively. Ownership and the capital problem have been the major constraints to land access for crop production. The majority of the household goes into multiple income-generating activities with a shortage of planning and guidance on the value of income diversification. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in high income and livelihood deterioration of households' remittances from internal and external sources. The significant variable that affects income diversification includes education, off-farm income, access to credit, and output volume. The development of households and community requires multiple income alternatives for improved livelihood in saving mobilisation and investment opportunities. Households in the Sudano-Sahelian region engaged in agriculture and additional income sources that must be strengthened to support income generation. The study further concluded the existence of potential income diversification alternatives in rural including multiple cropping, off-farm investment, and non-farm income potentials. COVID-19 period posed a serious constraint to households, particularly deterioration in income sources, making livelihood activities more difficult. Access to credit, educational status, off-farm income generation, and output volume are the strongest determinants of income diversification in the Sudano-Sahelian region. The study recommends the need for government and development agencies to improve the quality and availability of rural infrastructural facilities (road, markets, electricity) in the study area to help rural households sustain their investment and engage in sustainable livelihood activities. The development of essential programs on enterprise support and business development service is essential to strengthen livelihood and income diversification opportunities. Strengthening cooperative participation and awareness creation on savings and investment opportunities is essential for sustainable livelihood, implying the need for collective actions, enhancing risk strategies, and influencing government policies for livelihood development.

Reconceptualizing and Improving Member Participation in Large Cooperatives: Insights from Deliberative Democracy and Deliberative Mini-Publics

Reconceptualizing and Improving Member Participation in Large Cooperatives: Insights from Deliberative Democracy and Deliberative Mini-Publics