Research

18 pages, 496 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Effect of Cooperatives on Increasing Farmers’ Income from the Perspective of Industry Prosperity Based on the PSM Empirical Study in Shennongjia Region

by Meiyuan Wang, Bin He, Jinsong Zhang and Yanan Jin

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13172; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313172 - 28 Nov 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2758

Abstract

“Industry prosperity”, as a key content of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, is an effective way to increase farmers’ income, agricultural development and rural prosperity. Cooperatives have the functions of serving, assisting and enriching the people and are an important organizational carrier for achieving [...] Read more.

“Industry prosperity”, as a key content of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, is an effective way to increase farmers’ income, agricultural development and rural prosperity. Cooperatives have the functions of serving, assisting and enriching the people and are an important organizational carrier for achieving rural industry prosperity. This paper uses the propensity score-matching model and the field survey data of Dajiuhu Town, Shennongjia, Hubei Province to study the effect of farmers’ participation in cooperatives on their net income by means of quantitative analysis. The empirical results show that (1) farmers’ participation in cooperatives can improve their net income level; (2) the education level of farmers has a significant effect on their participation in cooperatives; (3) household factors, production and management characteristics and external environment also have an important effect on farmers’ participation. Based on the above conclusions, this research proposes the encouragement of farmers to actively participate in cooperatives, improve their education level, vigorously improve rural infrastructure and enhance farmers’ self-development efficiency to promote the continuous increase of farmers’ incomes, and give rise to the positive role of cooperatives in rural development, in order to realize the revitalization and sustainable development of rural areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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20 pages, 478 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Government Policy and Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives: A Case Study in Chitwan District, Nepal

by Dinesh Dhakal, David O’Brien and Peter Mueser

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12282; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112282 - 07 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5761

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives are producer-owned and controlled organizations to improve farmers’ livelihoods by correcting market failure. They support collective activities where individual incentives are insufficient to produce public goods. The government of Nepal has been investing economic resources in this sector, prioritizing cooperatives as [...] Read more.

Agricultural cooperatives are producer-owned and controlled organizations to improve farmers’ livelihoods by correcting market failure. They support collective activities where individual incentives are insufficient to produce public goods. The government of Nepal has been investing economic resources in this sector, prioritizing cooperatives as part of a strategy for poverty reduction. This study examines poor farmers’ access to agricultural cooperatives and the impact of membership on farm and total household income, based on a household survey of 572 households and key informant interviews of 37 cooperative managers. The ethnicity of the family and the neighborhood, smallholder land size, distance to an agricultural cooperative, distance to the nearest local market, and distance to a motorable road are key determinants that influence cooperative membership. The analysis of the effects of cooperative membership is based on propensity score matching, controlling for a large array of household and community characteristics. The estimates imply that cooperative membership may significantly affect family net crop income, but the overall effects on total family income are modest. Agricultural cooperatives appear to be focused on financial services such as savings and credit activities but are less concerned with agricultural production, and cooperatives engage in almost no marketing activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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13 pages, 1164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agricultural Cooperatives and COVID-19 in Southeast Africa. The Role of Managerial Capital for Rural Resilience

by Nicola Francesconi, Fleur Wouterse and Dorothy Birungi Namuyiga

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031046 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4304

Abstract

While the health impact of COVID-19 in most African countries appears modest, the impact of social distancing measures, closing of markets and reduced mobility is felt across the board. Domestic, labor-intensive and traditional food value chains and the smallholders they serve appear to [...] Read more.

While the health impact of COVID-19 in most African countries appears modest, the impact of social distancing measures, closing of markets and reduced mobility is felt across the board. Domestic, labor-intensive and traditional food value chains and the smallholders they serve appear to be particularly affected. During a systemic shock where idiosyncratic risk coping strategies fail, collective or organizational resilience becomes of the essence to protect the livelihoods of smallholders. In this study, we have used pre- and during-shock data on agricultural cooperatives from Southeast Africa to understand how resilient these smallholder-owned organizations are. We find that many organizations could not countervail market-disruptions and fell into a state of dormancy during the pandemic. One reason for this is that collective decision-making was heavily affected by the banning of gatherings. Only a few organizations devised innovative solutions to maintain the market linkages of rural smallholders. The lack of resilience demonstrated by most cooperatives appears to be associated with organizational immaturity, large membership size, elite capture and limited business-orientation, which underscore a general lack of managerial capital. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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23 pages, 1245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Development of the Cooperative Movement and Civil Society in Almeria, Spain: Something from Nothing?

by Cynthia Giagnocavo

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9820; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239820 - 24 Nov 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3048

Abstract

Cooperatives fulfilled a broad and central role not only in the economic development, but also in the creation of civil society, in a population decimated and fragmented by the politics and culture of the Franco dictatorship. The province of Almeria, Spain, is an [...] Read more.

Cooperatives fulfilled a broad and central role not only in the economic development, but also in the creation of civil society, in a population decimated and fragmented by the politics and culture of the Franco dictatorship. The province of Almeria, Spain, is an example of smallholding rapid development due to the expansion of intensive greenhouse horticulture. It was the poorest Spanish province per capita in 1955, semi-arid, drought-ridden, and devoid of significant infrastructure. Its undereducated population held little promise for economic growth and a massive migration out of the province left it depopulated. Subsequent economic and social development of Almeria was closely tied to the establishment of both credit and agricultural cooperatives, which supported a new greenhouse agriculture for small plot family farmers organized around cooperatives. This paper focuses on how cooperatives were fundamental in constructing civil society for the benefit of poor rural people, even in the presence of significant negative social capital and undemocratic institutions during the Franco dictatorship. As the sector has modernized and matured, cooperatives have led the sustainable transformation of the business ecosystem. However, current shortcomings in the Almeria cooperative movement and civil society and challenges yet to be met are also raised. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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19 pages, 617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Logic behind the Internal Governance of Sweden’s Largest Agricultural Cooperatives

by Karin Hakelius and Jerker Nilsson

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9073; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219073 - 31 Oct 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2407

Abstract

This study comprises a qualitative analysis of the governance structures within the two largest agricultural cooperatives in Sweden, both of which have large and heterogeneous memberships, as well as sizeable and complex business operations. Interviews were conducted with district council members and representatives [...] Read more.

This study comprises a qualitative analysis of the governance structures within the two largest agricultural cooperatives in Sweden, both of which have large and heterogeneous memberships, as well as sizeable and complex business operations. Interviews were conducted with district council members and representatives from the boards of directors. The data from both case cooperatives indicate a genuinely traditional democratic member governance structure. There is a great deal of social capital in the governance system. A tentative explanation of the member involvement is that the cooperatives’ equity capital is owned by the individual members, and the members are free to sell and buy their shares at a market rate. The members are satisfied with the return on the capital they have invested in the cooperatives. They receive bonus shares and dividends above what most members would get in other investments. A conclusion is that very large cooperatives may succeed well with a member-democratic governance system of the traditional cooperative type, which in this case is probably due to the members’ satisfaction with the individualized ownership of the cooperatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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22 pages, 389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Platform and Data Co-Operatives amidst European Pandemic Citizenship

by Igor Calzada

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8309; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208309 - 09 Oct 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8463

Abstract

Many European pandemic citizens will likely be unemployed during the COVID-19 crisis. This article explores whether it is possible to alter existing data governance extractivist models to incentivize the emergence of platform and data co-operatives to protect European pandemic citizens’ labor and digital [...] Read more.

Many European pandemic citizens will likely be unemployed during the COVID-19 crisis. This article explores whether it is possible to alter existing data governance extractivist models to incentivize the emergence of platform and data co-operatives to protect European pandemic citizens’ labor and digital rights. As such, this article aims to decipher the rationale behind the proliferation of platform and data co-operatives by responding to how new forms of co-operatives using digital technologies can provide feasible socio-economic alternatives to improve post-COVID-19 working conditions for vulnerable or already empowered pandemic citizens. This article is structured as follows. First, the European “pandemic citizenship” term is described. Second, the rationale of this article is consequently presented. Third, the research question, two hypotheses, and the action research triangulation are described. The deployment of the triangulation methodology based on action research, mixed methods and social innovation reveals the main findings through (i) Delphi study results, (ii) a taxonomy for platform and data co-operative cases, and ultimately, (iii) fieldwork research conducted in Glasgow, Barcelona and Tallinn. This article concludes that co-operatives (platform-based or data-driven), stemming from the potential resilient response of European pandemic citizens, may currently portray a feasible alternative to data governance extractivist models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

21 pages, 2583 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Relational Approach to Studying Collective Action in Dairy Cooperatives Producing Mountain Cheeses in the Alps: The Case of the Primiero Cooperative in the Eastern Italians Alps

by Carine Pachoud, Etienne Delay, Riccardo Da Re, Maurizio Ramanzin and Enrico Sturaro

Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4596; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114596 - 04 Jun 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2655

Abstract

Compared with more productive areas, mountain areas are at risk of being marginalized, particularly in the agri-food sector. To circumvent price competition, local actors in the mountains can develop specialized local products, which depends on their capacity to act collectively. Collective action, however, [...] Read more.

Compared with more productive areas, mountain areas are at risk of being marginalized, particularly in the agri-food sector. To circumvent price competition, local actors in the mountains can develop specialized local products, which depends on their capacity to act collectively. Collective action, however, is complex and needs to be better understood if it is to steer initiatives towards success. This article sets out a relational approach to studying collective action in a dairy cooperative located in a mountain area: The Primiero cooperative in the Italian Alps. The common pool resources and territorial proximity frameworks were combined in a social network analysis of advice interactions among producer members, and an analysis of trust and conflict among members and between members and other actors involved in the value chain. The results show that the success of collective action can be explained by various complementary factors. Firstly, members had dense relationships, with high levels of trust and reciprocity, while the president had the role of prestige-based leader. Nonetheless, the analysis also highlighted conflicts related to the production levels of “traditional” and “intensive” producers, although members demonstrated a high capacity to resolve conflicts by creating their own rules to control further intensification. Socio-economic status did not appear to play a role in advice relationships, showing that the members interact horizontally. However, the results show that the geographical isolation of some members tended to inhibit their commitment to the collective dynamics. At a higher level, trust toward other actors involved in the value chain plays a central role in carrying out joint projects to develop and promote cheese. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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12 pages, 519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Corporate Sustainability Dimensions in the Cooperatives of Ecuador

by Iliana Loor Alcívar, Francisco González Santa Cruz, Nelly Moreira Mero and Amalia Hidalgo-Fernández

Sustainability 2020, 12(2), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020462 - 08 Jan 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3101

Abstract

This research has the aim of analysing corporate sustainability dimensions in the cooperativism of a developing country such as Ecuador by means of a valid and reliable measuring scale. These institutions, as part of the social economy, should be focused on a balance [...] Read more.

This research has the aim of analysing corporate sustainability dimensions in the cooperativism of a developing country such as Ecuador by means of a valid and reliable measuring scale. These institutions, as part of the social economy, should be focused on a balance among the economic, social and environmental aspects, which are the central axis of corporate sustainability. The literature review and analysis led to the development of a research questionnaire that was applied to 2042 people, among them managers, employees and members of the Ecuadorian cooperatives. In order to validate the dimensional structure and consistency of the scale, an exploratory factorial analysis was performed, followed by a confirmatory analysis using structural equations. The results show a consistent measuring scale based on the traditional dimensions of corporate sustainability (economic, social and environmental) and also presenting a new dimension of corporate identity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Cooperatives in Building Rural Civil Society: Lessons from around the World)

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