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Klamsom, Prānī. "Kānkǣ panhā sētthakit thī kīeokap chāonā dōi withī kānsahakō̜n nai ratchasamai Phrabāt Somdet Phra Mongkutklao Čhaoyūhūa læ Phrabāt Somdet Phra Pokklao Čhaoyūhūa." Google Book Search Library Project, 1986. http://books.google.com/books?id=HUtXAAAAMAAJ.
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Thesis (M.A.)--Chulalongkorn University, 1986.<br>In Thai; abstract also in English. Added t.p.: Cooperative measures in solving economic problems related to peasants during the reigns of King Rama VI and King Rama VII. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-126). Also issued in print.
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Flygare, Sara. "The Cooperative Challenge : Farmer Cooperation and the Politics of Agricultural Modernisation in 21st Century Uganda." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis : Universitetsbiblioteket [distributör], 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-7277.
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Heimbrandt, Andreas. "Styrelsens roll och uppgifter i det lantbrukskooperativa företaget : en fallanalys /." Uppsala : Institutionen för ekonomi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2007. http://epsilon.slu.se/10522837.pdf.
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Smarsh, Andy. "Financial performance profile and evaluation of alternative equity management programs for farmers cooperative equity company." Thesis, Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/2389.
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Nguyen, Tuan Kiet. "Efficiency Analysis and Experimental Study of Cooperative Behaviour of Shrimp Farmers Facing Wastewater Pollution in the Mekong River Delta." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/9089.
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Shrimp farming is important to the Vietnamese economy in terms of national income, job creation and poverty alleviation. However, shrimp farming is generally technically inefficient and probably generates too much pollution. To encourage the sustainable development of the Vietnamese shrimp industry, there is a need to improve the productivity of shrimp farms and at the same time to reduce the wastewater pollution generated by shrimp farming. The thesis has two aims: (1) to estimate the efficiency of shrimp farms in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, with a particular focus on the productivity effects of pollution, and (2) to use experimental economics to investigate policies that could be used to mitigate the wastewater pollution impacting shrimp farms. Overall farmers are found to be inefficient, suggesting farmers are using more inputs than necessary to produce a given output level. Surprisingly, the average extensive (i.e., less capital-intensive) farm is found to be more efficient than the average intensive and semi- intensive (i.e., more capital-intensive) farms. Furthermore, downstream farms are found to be less efficient than upstream farms, suggesting that wastewater pollution influences shrimp farming productivity and results in a negative externality. Evidence from lab-based experiments suggests that the incentives provided by a monitoring and certification agency are not sufficient to promote the full cooperation of shrimp farmers to solve the wastewater pollution problem. However, full cooperation was achieved by providing farmers with an opportunity to communicate. In both cases, self-governance of shrimp farmers was found to be highly effective. The results suggest that community-based management is worthy of further investigation as a possible solution to sustainable development of the shrimp industry in Vietnam. "What we have ignored is what citizens can do and the importance of real involvement of the people involved – versus just having somebody in Washington ... make a rule." Elinor Ostrom (1933-2012)
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Misyak, Sarah A. "Farmers Market Access by Snap-eligible Mothers of Young Children: Barriers and Impact on Nutrition Education Programming for Cooperative Extension." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/54587.
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Providing improved access to farmers markets and other local food outlets for low-income audiences is an increasingly popular nutrition intervention strategy to promote consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and address obesity. The USDA encouraged more farm to fork initiatives and efforts to connect low-income populations with fresh and healthy, local foods through farmers markets through the implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education (SNAP-Ed) provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The purpose of this research was to assess the perceived barriers to farmers market access and strategies for overcoming those barriers for low-income individuals and families participating in Cooperative Extension nutrition programming. Data collection procedures included a survey of SNAP-Ed and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) program assistants, focus group discussions with SNAP-eligible individuals, and a photo elicitation study with mothers of young children. Results from these studies provide insight on how to structure program assistant trainings to encourage the inclusion of an optional farmers market orientation lesson in SNAP-Ed and EFNEP curricula; low-income individuals' perception of healthy food, access to and perception of local foods, benefits and barriers to shopping at farmers markets, and the impact of local foods on diet quality; and how to address perceived barriers through Cooperative Extension nutrition programming for the SNAP-Ed and ENFEP target population of SNAP-eligible mothers of young children. Working with farmers markets is an opportunity to form greater synergy between the arms of Extension (Family and
Consumer Sciences, Community Viability, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and potentially 4-H) related to supporting local food systems while forming collaborative relationships with local farmers markets and community members.<br>Ph. D.
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Amoah-Boampong, Cyrelene Merrrilyne. "Contesting the State in Ghana's Cocoa Trade: The Case of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers' Union, 1957-2004." OpenSIUC, 2011. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/312.
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In the twenty-first century, African farmers are still in the grips of economic stagnation and are being subjected to neo-liberal developmental policies such as structural adjustment and trade liberalization. However, small-scale producers have not disengaged from the state as some scholars assert like Goran Hyden. In Ghana, producers came together in the form of a farmers' union to address their economic needs not through the "economy of affection" where they relied on kinship and other forms of familial alliances but rather through networks of market-oriented economic association. One such association for agriculture producers was the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers' Union, a cocoa farmers' association. The formation of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers' Union created a complex interaction between the state and agricultural producers. Smallholder cocoa producers, through such organizations, laid claim as actors in economic development. The state, through its historic role as financier of agricultural production, tried to find new avenues to dominate rural producers even in a post liberalized world, where the state was supposed to be withdrawing from active involvement in the economy and allowing the private sector to be the main engine of economic growth. It is within this framework of contestation that this study contends that scholars should examine the relations between state and agricultural producers, and the implications of this relationship on economic development and the marketplace. I argue that this complex interaction is not a clear situation of the "economy of affection" or the total dominance of the state but rather a complex interaction in which the state most often has the upper hand but does not suppress the ability of agricultural producers to be meaningful actors in the marketplace. Commodity farmers are not limited to the sphere of production or "exit" from the national economy but try to empower their members through fair trade practices and direct involvement in the confectionery industry in order to take control over their product and become active participants in the world market.
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Bacon, Christopher M. "Confronting the coffee crisis : Nicaraguan farmers use of cooperative, fair trade and agroecological networks to negotiate livelihoods and sustainability /." Diss., Digital Dissertations Database. Restricted to UC campuses, 2005. http://uclibs.org/PID/11984.
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Laux, Chad Matthew. "The impacts of a formal quality management system a case study of implementing ISO 9000 at Farmers Cooperative Co., Iowa /." [Ames, Iowa : Iowa State University], 2007.
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Atadja, Franklin Komla. "Sustainability Challenges for Maize and Cassava Farmers in Amankwakrom Subdistrict, Ghana." Thesis, Walden University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10243184.
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<p>Agricultural system in Ghana underperformed because of limited financing, which constrained some small-scale maize and cassava farmers. The purpose of this case study design was to explore the methods that some small-scale maize and cassava farmers in Amankwakrom Subdistrict used in obtaining farm financing. Two themes from the literature review were a lack of collateral for small-scale farm financing and the small-scale farmers cooperative associations? role in farm financing. Regional-scale management sustainability index formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with 8 fluent English speaking small-scale maize and cassava farmers who have obtained farm financing in the previous years. Using the Microsoft Excel and Non-numerical unstructured data indexing and theorizing software program for data analysis method, 3 major themes emerged: the farmer?s membership benefits of working in cooperative associations; farmer?s ability to provide the collateral requirements for the financial institutions; and farmer?s good loan repayment history. The study findings indicated that some small-scale maize and cassava farmers obtained farm loans because they used the cooperative associations as their collateral assets in order to satisfy for the requirements of the financial institutions. Social implications include the potential to guide the small-scale maize and cassava farmers to access farm credits to use in expanding their farm sizes. Expansion in farm sizes may result in more maize and cassava production that can help eliminate hunger and reduce poverty in the Amankwakrom Subdistrict of Ghana.
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Hundie, Bekele, and Mesay Gebre. "The link between Stakeholders Value Network and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) : Case study of Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU) in Ethiopia." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Fakulteten för ekonomi, kommunikation och IT, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-8089.
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The aim of this thesis is to examine the need for a more open and sustainable business approach that centers on social responsibility in creating sustainable solutions for the smallholder, specifically with contributions from stakeholders in the value network and others like Non Government Organizations (NGOs). This approach is to create sustainable competitive markets and business network. The concepts of CSR stakeholders value network is applied to a case study of a real business development initiative from Ethiopia, Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union (OCFCU). The thesis reveals the role of farmer’s cooperative in the stakeholders’ value network and CSR thinking as an active tool for advancing smallholder by integrating them in to a global value network that create inclusive capital which leads to sustainable development, and poverty reduction. It will also explore how the farmer’s cooperative is playing a role in eliminating intermediaries, who has been taking much of the profit from the age old free market coffee chain, which enables OCFCU to create a cooperative coffee chain. Farmers’ problem was the driving factors for the formation of OCFCU. The two problems were: (1) The New York C market is trading coffee as a commodity (2) Technological advancement in countries where coffee grow in large scale, which in turn result the price to remain low, has made it even worse for small holders like OCFCU to make realistic business. Therefore, in order to achieve the cooperative farm’s greatest aim, bringing more money to the coffee growers’ pocket, the cooperative farm has to find a market place where consumers are willing to pay premium price. This continues search for a better market for their quality coffee has brought OCFCU from value chain to value network that we have related it with the stakeholders’ values network. This bold move from value chain to value network is the new business model in the stakeholders’ value network, where commodity market leaves the way to specialty market. This is the contribution of the thesis. To conclude, the role of OCFCU is to keep an eye on the high quality standards of buyers in the developed world and focus on continuously training farmers so that they growing high quality coffee that consumers are willing to pay premium price.
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Wilson, Daniel O. "MALE FARMERS COPING WITH LOSS OF SPOUSE: IMPACTS ON FARMING OPERATION AND FAMILY LIFE." UKnowledge, 2012. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/cld_etds/3.
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Losing a spouse is as devastating an experience anyone will ever deal with in his or her life. Research, however, shows that men have a harder and longer time coping with the loss of a spouse than women. When the widower’s profession is farming, there are no resources to specifically help that individual with their loss. The purpose of this research was to gain insight into the lives of widowed farmers with particular focus on transitions in their farming operation and their family life. Through their stories, we learn what is happening before the loss of the female spouse on the farm, during the bereavement period, and how the farmer handles the situation after the bereavement period has ended. Findings indicate that the Cooperative Extension Service can play a major role in supporting our widowed farmers as they seek a new normal for their farm operation and family life. Also, farming widowers have more stress following the loss of a spouse due to the added aspect of managing the farm and the home simultaneously after the passing of their spouse. Recommendations include further expanding spousal bereavement materials to include a section for males and in particular farming widowers.
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Mfune, Elizabeth. "Effects of an agribusiness collapse on contract growers and their communities : a case study of Makeni Cooperative Society, Lusaka, Zambia." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007627.
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This study assesses the effects of an agribusiness collapse, on the contracted growers and their surrounding communities in Lusaka Province, Zambia. In 2004, Agriflora Limited, a Trans-Zambezi Industries Limited (TZI) agribusiness in Lusaka Zambia was sold off. Agriflora Limited was one ofthe largest fresh vegetable exporters in Africa. It had contracted almost 500 small-scale farmers with 1-4 hectares of land within 50 km radius of Lusaka to grow vegetables for export. Makeni Cooperative Society was one of the targeted groups of growers. It grew baby corn, mangetout peas, and sugar snap and fine beans for export. The case study relied on both primary and secondary data. I undertook two months of ethnographic fieldwork utilising observations, in-depth interviews and informal discussions with some community members in Makeni. I also reviewed the literature on contract farming schemes (documenting both the negative and positive effects for growers) in developing countries. The case study showed that the impact of the collapse of Agriflora on the growers has been severe indeed; there has been a significant reduction in production with only a few farmers producing for export. Those that are producing are limited to one crop, baby corn. The effect on the local labour market (farm workers) has been quite drastic with a drop in employment. A new agribusiness company, York Farm, was sourced by the government for the contract growers of Makeni. York Farm has signed a procurement contract under which only sale and purchase conditions are specified. This means that, services such as extension services are no longer provided. It was also found that despite the price for baby corn at York Farm being better than what Agriflora used to offer the farmers, farmers are not producing peas which have a higher turnover than baby corn because York farm does not buy peas from the farmers. However, the farmers are hopeful that they will soon start producing peas after they pass the Eurep gap requirements. Furthermore, the farmers are still interested in contract farming as they are convinced that it can lead to higher farm incomes. While the neoliberal critique of the pre- Structural Adjustment agricultural policies was based on the need to improve rural farming income and productivity, my study shows that the contract farmers are not the "traditional" peasant farmers but retired civil servants or former public sector employees who lost their jobs during the contraction of the sector. In conclusion, my field work revealed that the collapse of Agriflora has had negative effects on the growers of MCS in terms a significant decrease in crop production, decline in farmer income, lack of technical assistance such as extension services, transportation problems (to take produce to the new market-York Farm) and reduced contraction in employment opportunities for farm workers.
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Mugabe, T. C. "Fair trade in the Eastern Cape: an examination of its socio-economic impact and challenges among emerging Black farmers." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/441.
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This study examines the socio-economic impact of fair trade on black emerging citrus fruit farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is a comparative analysis of farmers involved in fair trade and those who are not. Farmers from Riverside Enterprise and Sundays River Citrus Cooperative were examined to evaluate the impact of fair trade. Such impact was analyzed through looking at access farmers have to foreign markets and their ability to receive high income returns from these markets. The study also discusses the influence fair trade has on the social and economic development of the farmers’ communities. The findings of the study indicate how most fair trade communities have benefited financially and through public infrastructure such as crèches, learning centers and access to computers for both farmers and workers. Such public developments are funded through the fair trade social dividend which is a premium farmers receive for selling their fruit under fair trade. However, the study findings also indicate the limitations of fair trade; farmers have to incur high costs to become fair trade accredited. The study also examines the commodity value chains (hereinafter referred to as CVC) for citrus fair trade farmers and non fair trade farmers. This analysis reveals the procedure of value chains, their benefits and constraints.
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Valandro, Keila. "O papel do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar - PNAE para a inserção da agricultura familiar em novos mercados: o caso da COOPAFI - Capanema." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2014. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1490.
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Essa pesquisa procura avaliar a contribuição do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) na criação de novos mercados para os produtores locais junto a experiência da cooperativa COOPAFI do município de Capanema, uma organização que é referência em inúmeras estratégias de acesso ao mercado institucional para viabilizar a comercialização de produtos dos seus agricultores familiares filiados, mas: Teria o PNAE impactado positivamente a receita desses agricultores? Onde e como os agricultores conseguiriam comercializar os mesmos produtos se não fossem associados à cooperativa? Portanto, a primeira hipótese é de que os agricultores que acessam o PNAE no município de Capanema tiveram efetivo aumento de receita. E a segunda é de que os agricultores não teriam outro meio para conseguir comercializar no mercado local/regional em quantidade próxima ou similar se não fossem cooperados. Desta maneira procurar-se-á compreender qual o papel do PNAE no fortalecimento da agricultura familiar e suas organizações. Em específico, procurar-se-á: (1) investigar os motivos da adesão e permanência dos agricultores no PNAE e compreender a forma como os agricultores se inseriram no PNAE; (2) verificar se o PNAE promoveu a melhoria das condições de vida da população envolvida; (3) identificar quais são os alimentos adquiridos pela COOPAFI – Capanema no atendimento de suas demandas locais/regionais para perceber as motivações e percepções dos mesmos frente as possibilidade de geração de renda não apenas no curto prazo; (4) descrever o perfil socioeconômico dos agricultores participantes do PNAE verificando a influência dessa política na inserção dos agricultores familiares em novos mercados. A pesquisa constatou um efetivo aumento de receita entre os cooperados, o que evidencia o papel do PNAE no fortalecimento da agricultura familiar, entretanto, não foi possível caracterizar a extrema dependência dos agricultores à cooperativa, mas, uma inserção em novos mercados que propiciou a diversificação da produção; aumento da quantidade produzida; a qualificação do agricultor para a melhoria da qualidade dos produtos; a especialização do trabalho na agroindústria e o conhecimento de novos canais de comercialização.<br>This research evaluates the contribution of the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE) in creating new markets for local producers to the experience of cooperative COOPAFI the municipality of Capanema, an organization that is a reference in many strategies to access the institutional market to enable the marketing of products of its affiliated farmers, but: Did the PNAE positively impacted the revenue from these farmers? Where and how the farmers to sell their products if they were not associated with the cooperative? Therefore, the first hypothesis is that farmers who access the PNAE in the municipality of Capanema had effective increase income. And the second is that farmers would have no other means to achieve market in the local / regional market in close or similar amount if they were not members. This way will be sought to understand the role of PNAE in strengthening family agriculture and its organizations. In particular, efforts will be made: (1) investigate the reasons for accession and farmers remain in the PNAE and understand how farmers were inserted in PNAE; (2) verify that the PNAE helped improve the living conditions of the population involved; (3) identify which foods purchased by COOPAFI - Capanema in meeting their local / regional demands to understand the motivations and perceptions thereof forward the possibility of generating income not only in the short term; (4) describe the socioeconomic profile of participants PNAE farmers and the influence of this policy on the integration of family farmers in new markets. The survey found an effective increase in revenue among the cooperative, which highlights the role of PNAE in strengthening family farming, however, was not possible to characterize the extreme dependence of farmers to the cooperative, but an insert into new markets that led to the diversification production; increase in the quantity produced; the qualification of the farmer to improve the quality of products; the specialization of labor in the agricultural industry and the knowledge of new marketing channels.
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Malvido, Perez Carletti Agustina. "Effects of agricultural cooperatives on members in developing countries: Studies on pricing and inclusion." Doctoral thesis, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.18452/21248.
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Aus theoretischer und empirischer Sicht ist zu diskutieren, ob die Genossenschaften positive Auswirkungen für ihre Mitglieder haben. Das Forschungsziel dieser Dissertation ist die Erklärung und Bewertung der Auswirkungen, die landwirtschaftliche Genossenschaften auf ihre Mitglieder in diesen Kontexten haben. Die Leitfragen lauten: (1) welches sind die sozioökonomischen Merkmale der Landwirte, die Mitglieder von Genossenschaften sind? und (2) welche spezifischen Auswirkungen haben landwirtschaftliche Genossenschaften auf ihre Mitglieder? Die Fragen werden in einer systematischen Literaturarbeit und drei empirischen Artikeln behandelt.
Die systematische Literaturrecherche zeigt die empirischen Belege für positive Effekte von Genossenschaften finden sich in den Kategorien Zugang zu und Nutzung von landwirtschaftlichen Betriebsmitteln, Einkommen, Preise sowie Status und Entscheidungsmacht von Frauen.
Im zweiten und dritten Artikel werden die Eigenschaften der Mitglieder und Preiswirkungen von Genossenschaften im argentinischen Wein- und Milchsektor untersucht. Landwirte, die an Genossenschaften verkaufen, erhalten in den untersuchten Fällen niedrigere Preise für ihre Produkte als Landwirte, die an anlegerorientierte Unternehmen verkaufen.
Das vierte Papier analysiert Mechanismen, die zur Inklusion benachteiligter Haushalte in sambischen Maisgenossenschaften beitragen. Inklusion entwickelt sich in Genossenschaften, die Engagement zeigen und entweder vulnerable Mitglieder mit Finanzdienstleistungen versorgen, soziale Identität fördern oder benachteiligte Mitglieder dafür entschädigen, dass sie keinen Zugang zu subventionierten Betriebsmitteln haben.
Die Gesamtergebnisse zeigen, dass Genossenschaften im Allgemeinen mit den am stärksten benachteiligten Landwirten zusammenarbeiten. Sie erzielen verschiedene positive Wirkungen für ihre Mitglieder. Dennoch gibt es auch einen relevanten Anteil von Fällen, in denen es nicht genügend empirische Belege für ihre Auswirkungen gibt.<br>From both theoretical and empirical perspectives, whether cooperatives provide their members with benefits remains open to debate. The research objective of this thesis is to explain and assess the effects agricultural cooperatives have on their members in developing contexts. The guiding questions are: (1) what are the socio-economic characteristics of farmers who participate in cooperatives? and (2) what are the specific effects of agricultural cooperatives on their farmer members? The questions are addressed in a systematic literature review and three empirical papers.
The systematic literature review finds that what is known about cooperatives is based upon a very limited set of cases. The most conclusive evidence of positive effects corresponds to the categories access to and use of inputs, income, prices and women’s status and agency.
The Paper Two and Three explore member characteristics and price effects of cooperatives and Investor-Oriented Firms in the Argentinean non-varietal wine and dairy sector, respectively. Farmers selling to cooperatives receive lower prices than farmers selling to Investor-Oriented Firms in the studied cases. Since cooperative members differ from other farmers in terms of size, assets and the cost of accessing the market, it can be concluded that cooperatives deal with more disadvantaged farmers at the expense of lower prices.
The Paper Four analyses the mechanisms that contribute towards inclusion of disadvantaged households in Zambian maize cooperatives. Inclusion develops in cooperatives that show commitment and either provide financial services to vulnerable members, promote social identities or compensate disadvantaged members for not being able to access subsidised inputs.
The overall results show that cooperatives generally work with the most disadvantaged farmers. They create multiple positive effects for their members. However, there is also a meaningful share of cases with a lack of sufficient evidence of effects.
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Gwala, Lindokuhle. "Effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project: the case of Ncera and Kwezana villages, Eastern Cape Province." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019814.
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The study was conducted to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni Cattle project in Ncera and Kwezana villages, both in Nkonkobe local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to determine the quality of extension services offered to the beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, relationship between extension officers and beneficiaries of the project, lastly was to determine communication strategies used by extension officers to communicate with the project beneficiaries. A total of 73 Nguni cattle project beneficiaries were interviewed. Semi- structured questionnaires were administered to the beneficiaries of the project who were willing to participate in the study. Xhosa speaking enumerators assisted in data collection. Focus group discussions were later carried out in both villages to determine effect of agricultural extension services on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. The focus groups were divided into three groups of different ages and gender. The majority of the beneficiaries in the project were males (62.2 % Ncera and 75% Kwezana). There was an association between gender and extension services. Farmers depended on different sources of income. Old age pension and animal sales being the main contributing sources and also having a significant difference. The results of the study further revealed that the beneficiaries were faced with cattle production challenges, lack of extension support services being the main challenge. The results of the study indicated that the majority of beneficiaries had no access to extension services. Only 37.8% and 32.1 % at Ncera and Kwezana respectively reported that they had access to extension services. Although the latter is the case it was further explained by the beneficiaries that extension services offered to them were of poor quality due to poor communication strategies used to provide these services. Beneficiaries also reported the relationship between them and extension officers’ as poor. It was concluded that extension services had an effect on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, largely based on the constraints they face on the project and limited access to extension services.
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Larsén, Karin. "Economic consequences of collaborative arrangements in the agricultural firm /." Uppsala : Dept. of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2008. http://epsilon.slu.se/200828.pdf.
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Pozzobon, Daniela Maria. "Three studies on farmer cooperatives: heterogeneity, member participation and democratic decision making." Universidade de São Paulo, 2011. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/12/12139/tde-20092011-155955/.
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The main focus of this thesis is on how cooperatives can minimize both democratic and agency costs. In particular, the thesis examines how differences in the level of heterogeneity and member participation amongst cooperatives affect their management of these costs. The thesis is one of the first studies to empirically examine how cooperatives manage their decision making costs. The relationships amongst the key variables of the study are examined in three studies. First, we develop a measurement of heterogeneity based on a \'grouping\' method, with the aim of showing the presence (absence) of a dominant group and the size of the minority group(s). Cooperatives are ranked from homogenous to more heterogeneous based on both cooperative and member characteristics. Five different types of cooperatives are identified. Based on these results, a model is developed that predicts a non-linear relation between heterogeneity and member participation. Second, we distinguish all conflicts of interests (horizontal, vertical and diagonal) which exist at the different levels of cooperative decision making. By doing so, we are able to obtain a more complete picture of the costs of cooperative decision making. We also examine a broader range of decision making costs than most studies, as both democratic and agency costs are considered. In the present thesis, we have contributed to the literature by developing the concept of democratic costs. We distinguish between both direct and opportunity costs for both types of decision making costs. In doing so, we draw attention to the fact that the mechanisms used to increase member participation are not without costs. Frequently, studies focus mainly on the benefits of increased member participation, thereby disregarding some of the costs associated with it. Moreover, the thesis indicates that there are differences in the relative importance of direct and opportunity agency costs: direct agency cost should be a smaller concern for cooperatives compared to exposure to high opportunity agency costs. With regard to opportunity costs, a further distinction is made between costs associated with over-and underrepresentation of member groups in the board of directors. We show that the relation between member participation in the board of directors and democratic costs is more complex than is often assumed in the literature. Compared to previous studies, we focus not only on board size, but also on board composition; i.e., which member groups the board represents. Finally, we show the difficulties cooperative face in minimizing (balancing) both democratic and agency costs.<br>O principal foco desta tese é sobre como cooperativas podem minimizar tanto custos de tomada de decisões democráticas quanto de agência. Em particular, a tese examina como diferenças nos níveis de heterogeneidade e de participação dos membros afetam estes custos e o controle dos mesmos. Esta tese é um dos primeiros estudos que se propõem a examinar empiricamente como as cooperativas controlam seus custos de tomada de decisões. Os relacionamentos entre as variáveis-chave da tese são examinados em três estudos. Primeiramente, nós desenvolvemos um modelo de mensuração de heterogeneidade baseado em categorização, o qual leva em consideração a presença (ausência) de um grupo dominante e o tamanho do(s) grupo(s) minoritário(s). O modelo classifica cooperativas desde homogêneas até mais heterogêneas, com base em características tanto dos membros quanto da cooperativa. Cinco níveis de heterogeneidade são identificados. Com base nestes resultados, nós desenvolvemos um modelo que prevê um relacionamento não-linear entre heterogeneidade e nível de participação dos membros no processo de tomada de decisões da cooperativa. Em segundo lugar, este trabalho distingue os conflitos de interesse que existem em todos os níveis (horizontais, diagonais e verticais) do processo de tomada de decisões da cooperativa. Isto possibilitou o entendimento de todos os custos advindos destes conflitos. Em relação a estudos anteriores sobre custos de tomada de decisões, nós examinamos uma gama maior de custos de tomada de decisões, a qual inclui tanto os custos de tomada de decisões democráticas quanto custos de agência. Além disso, a presente tese contribui com a literatura existente, quando desenvolve o conceito de custos democráticos. Este trabalho, ainda, distingue estes custos em termos de custos diretos e custos de oportunidade. Em fazer isto, nós demonstramos que o processo de fornecer incentivos para membros para participar na governança da cooperativa envolve substanciais custos. Freqüentemente, estudos neste assunto focam principalmente nos benefícios advindos da participação dos membros na governança, porém ignoram os custos associados ao processo de fornecer incentivos. Mais do que isto, nós demonstramos que custos diretos de agência e custos de oportunidade de agência têm, relativamente, diferente importância, sendo custos diretos provavelmente menos onerosos quando comparados com o risco de exposição a custos de oportunidade. Com relação a custos de oportunidade, nós os distinguimos, ainda, em relação à sub e super representação com relação à participação dos membros no conselho de administração. Nós demonstramos também que a relação entre participação dos membros no conselho de administração e custos democráticos é mais complexa do que a freqüentemente apontada pela literatura. Isto é possível uma vez que nós temos focado nosso estudo não somente no tamanho, mas também na composição (representatividade) do conselho. Finalmente, nós demonstramos as dificuldades que as cooperativas enfrentam em tentar minimizar custos de tomada de decisões (democráticos e de agência).
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Hines, Christopher A. "Profitability drivers of farmer cooperatives: a Dupont model analysis." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/17561.
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Master of Agribusiness<br>Department of Agricultural Economics<br>Brian Briggeman<br>“Skyscrapers of the plains” is a term which refers to the country elevators spread
throughout Kansas and the Midwest, along with the elevators are farmer cooperatives.
Farmer cooperatives have been around for more than a century to serve the area farmers as a place to store and market their grain and to purchase their farm inputs.
The objective of this research is to identify key profitability drivers of farmer
cooperatives of different sizes throughout time. This will be done by using a unique data
set gathered from the CoBank’s RiskAnalysis database and examining it with the DuPont
model. The project breaks down the data by size, large vs. small, and location. If a
cooperative has done more than 100 million dollars in sales in 2010, it was classified as
large for the entire time period, all other cooperatives were small. Location was either
Kansas or Midwest. In this model, operating profit margin or earns, asset turnover ratio or
turns, debt-to-equity ratio or leverage, and spread are examined. Also examined are Return
on Assets, the operating performance, and Return on Equity, the financial performance, of
the cooperative.
Board of Directors and cooperative managers will be able to take this information
and hopefully make decisions which make their respective cooperatives more profitable.
With the information provided, cooperative managers and Board of Directors will be able
to financially compare themselves versus other cooperatives of similar size whether they
are in Kansas or in other Midwestern states.
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Masuku, Micah B. "Attitudes and Loyalty of Farmers toward Cooperatives in the State of Ohio." Connect to resource, 1997. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1215012574.
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Cerqueira, M?ryan Siomara de Almeida. "Pol?ticas p?blicas e (re)organiza??o do espa?o rural: desafios da implementa??o do Programa de Aquisi??o de Alimentos e do Programa Nacional de Alimenta??o Escolar no Munic?pio de Amargosa/Ba." Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 2017. http://localhost:8080/tede/handle/tede/596.
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Previous issue date: 2017-08-31<br>The reorganization of rural space is a process triggered by the interaction of multiple agents, including the State, small farmers and formal organizations (associations and cooperatives). In this process, public policies assume a central role when they are constituted as State action that focuses directly on certain categories and may incite changes. In Brazil, the redirects in public policies for agriculture, especially since 2003, were responsible for promoting the creation of new forms of action or restructuring existing ones. In this year there was the creation of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA), and in 2009, with Law No. 11,947 / 2009, there is a modification in the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), by establishing to the states and counties the obligation to allocate , at least 30% of its resources for the purchase of foodstuffs of small farmers or their organizations. The actions of the programs begin to share the same purposes in seeking to guarantee the human right to food and to strengthen the small production through the direct purchases of their products. Hence, the objective of the research is to analyze the spatial reorganization of the rural properties of the cooperative from the implementation of the Food Acquisition Program and the National School Feeding Program in the municipality of Amargosa/BA. The research pointed out that the implementation of the PAA and the PNAE resulted in the consolidation of the partnership between the public authority and the Family Farming Cooperative and Solidarity Economy of the Jiquiri?? Valley (COOAMA), which raised important place of sale of the products. The actions of the programs propel the spatial reorganization of the properties by promoting important interventions in the systems of objects and in the systems of actions that condescend the production of the space. In addition, although the implementation presents some challenges, it has allowed the valorization of the small farmers, minimizes the action of the middlemen, the prices practiced are in line with the local reality and contributes to assure the Food and Nutritional Security of the individuals that are benefited with the acquired foods.<br>A reorganiza??o do espa?o rural ? um processo desencadeado atrav?s da intera??o de m?ltiplos agentes, dentre os quais, o Estado, os pequenos agricultores e as organiza??es formais (associa??es e cooperativas). Nesse processo, as pol?ticas p?blicas assumem um papel central ao constitu?rem-se como a??o do Estado que incide diretamente em determinadas categorias podendo incitar mudan?as. No Brasil, os redirecionamentos nas pol?ticas p?blicas para a agricultura, sobretudo a partir de 2003, foram respons?veis por promover a cria??o de novas formas de atua??o ou reestruturar as j? existentes. Nesse ano ocorreu a cria??o do Programa de Aquisi??o de Alimentos (PAA) e, em 2009, com a Lei N? 11.947/2009, houve uma modifica??o no Programa Nacional de Alimenta??o Escolar (PNAE), ao instituir aos estados e munic?pios a obrigatoriedade de destinarem, no m?nimo, 30% dos seus recursos para a aquisi??o de g?neros aliment?cios dos pequenos agricultores ou de suas organiza??es. As a??es dos programas passam a comungar dos mesmos prop?sitos ao buscar garantir o direito humano ? alimenta??o e fortalecer a pequena produ??o atrav?s das compras diretas dos seus produtos. Da? o objetivo da pesquisa consistir em analisar a reorganiza??o espacial das propriedades rurais dos cooperados a partir da implementa??o do Programa de Aquisi??o de Alimentos e do Programa Nacional de Alimenta??o Escolar no munic?pio de Amargosa/BA. A pesquisa apontou que a implementa??o do PAA e do PNAE ocasionou na consolida??o da parceria entre o poder p?blico e a Cooperativa de Agricultura Familiar e Economia Solid?ria do Vale do Jiquiri?? (COOAMA) o que suscitou rebatimentos importantes para os cooperados que perpassam o ?mbito da comercializa??o dos produtos. As a??es dos programas propulsionam a reorganiza??o espacial das propriedades por promoverem importantes interven??es nos sistemas de objetos e nos sistemas de a??es que condescendem a produ??o do espa?o. Ademais, apesar da implementa??o apresentar alguns desafios, tem permitido a valoriza??o dos pequenos agricultores, minimiza a a??o dos atravessadores, os pre?os praticados condizem com a realidade local e contribui para assegurar a Seguran?a Alimentar e Nutricional dos indiv?duos que s?o beneficiados com os alimentos adquiridos.
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Lucas, Véronique. "L'agriculture en commun : Gagner en autonomie grâce à la coopération de proximité : Expériences d'agriculteurs français en CUMA à l'ère de l'agroécologie." Thesis, Angers, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018ANGE0020/document.
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En France depuis 2013, des initiatives collectives d'agriculteurs sont soutenues par des politiques publiques visant à développer l'agroécologie, dont la définition inclut l'enjeu d'autonomisation des exploitations. Alors que l'agriculture est traversée par des processus d'individualisation et de déterritorialisation, le législateur a fait le pari que l'organisation collective des agriculteurs au niveau local pouvait favoriser leur autonomisation et leur engagement dans la transition agroécologique. La thèse éclaire ce paradoxe par l'analyse d'expériences d'agriculteurs organisés en Coopératives d'utilisation de matériel agricole (CUMA). Ceux-ci développent des pratiques que l'on peut qualifier d'agroécologiques afin de gagner en autonomie, en particulier vis-à-vis des marchés marqués par plus de volatilité des cours. Pour cela, ils reconfigurent leurs modes de coopération de proximité, dont l'organisation de leur CUMA. Les résultats montrent qu'ils arrivent à mettre à distance des ressources et opérateurs marchands externes, grâce à une interdépendance accrue entre pairs, qu'ils acceptent parce qu'elle leur fournit des appuis pour mieux maîtriser leur contexte d'activité. Mais ils manquent de ressources adéquates de la part des autres opérateurs du secteur agricole et alimentaire pour limiter des dépendances restantes. De même, tous les agriculteurs ne bénéficient pas également de ces coopérations approfondies, qui nécessitent des conditions appropriées. Cette thèse précise ces conditions nécessaires pour que la recherche d'autonomie et la coopération de proximité favorisent des processus de transition agroécologique de la part d'une plus large diversité d'agriculteurs<br>In France since 2013, farmers' collectives initiatives are supported by specific public policies designed to develop agroecology, whose legal definition includes the objective of farm autonomy. Although agriculture is going through processes of individualization and deterritorialization, policymakers has bet that the collective organization of farmers could promote their autonomy and their agroecological transition. The thesis sheds new light on this paradox by analysis of farmers' experiences organized in farm machinery cooperatives(CUMA). These develop practices that can be described as agroecological in order to increase their autonomy, particularly in relation to markets affected by more price volatility. In so doing, they reconfigure their local modes of cooperation, including the organization of their machinery cooperative. The results show that they manage to put at distance external resources and market operators, owing to an increased interdependency with their peers, which is accepted because it allows them to better control the conditions of activity. Nevertheless, they lack appropriate resources from other operators in the agriculture and food sector to limit the remaining dependencies. Similarly, not all farmers equally benefit from such in-depth cooperation, which requires appropriate conditions. This thesis dissertation specifies the needed conditions so that the pursuit of autonomy and the local modes of cooperation can favor agroecological transition processes of a wider diversity of farmers
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Cazzuffi, Chiara. "Small scale farmers in the market and the role of processing and marketing cooperatives : a case study of Italian dairy farmers." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2013. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/45117/.
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Agricultural markets are often characterised by imperfect competition between buyers of farm produce. Cooperatives are often regarded as one possible way to enhance welfare for small producers, while others view them as an inefficient historical relic. My thesis investigates empirically the coexistence of cooperative and capitalistic processing and marketing firms in the market for raw milk in three Italian provinces, using a dataset I collected via a survey of dairy farmers. First, I analyse what accounts for variation in market structure within each province and what drives coop membership when choice is available. Geography is found to influence both number and nature of processing firms operating at a given location. Where farms are more isolated and scale of production is smaller, cooperatives have – historically – tended to prevail, and often remain the only buyer today. Where both coops and capitalistic processors are available, parental membership status is more important for the decision of a farmer to join the cooperative, suggesting some degree of inertia. Second, I investigate whether there is any evidence that selling through a cooperative makes a difference for farmers, with respect to both price and non-price characteristics of the relationship. With respect to non-price characteristics, results show that cooperatives draw less complex contracts with members compared to capitalistic processors with their suppliers, are less likely to pay a lower price than agreed, and more likely to offer technical assistance. Members and non-members do not appear to differ in their perceived net benefits from the exchange relationship, but benefits from membership appear to be larger for smaller than larger farmers. As regards whether cooperative membership, per se, has any effect on price paid to farmers, the theoretical literature suggests that asymmetric price competition between two firms with different objective functions, in a spatial market, under different spatial pricing policies, can lead to price differences between the two. This prediction is tested by estimating the effect of coop membership on prices paid using four different nonexperimental evaluation methods. The results show a positive and significant effect of membership, driven by more remote farmers with smaller scale of production, located in areas of cooperative monopsony.
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Mnisi, Kuhle. "Efficiency and financial sustainability of sugarcane Farmer Cooperatives in Eswatini." Master's thesis, Faculty of Commerce, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30461.
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The economy of Eswatini is heavily reliant on the production of sugarcane. However, the 2015 drought, as well as the decision by the European Union (EU) to end the quota system for sugar has had deleterious consequences for the local industry. In Eswatini, sugar imports decreased by 13.5% during the 2016/2017 financial year. Another problem is that a third of Eswatini’s sugar output originates from smallholder farmers who have experienced problems with sugarcane productivity in recent years. Therefore, to assist with future investment decisions, there is a need for continued assessment of the financial sustainability of the industry. This is imperative to enhance the productive efficiency of farmers and to improve their welfare. This study assessed the efficiency and operational sustainability of the 114 sugarcane Farmers Cooperatives (FCs) in The Kingdom of Eswatini from 2014 to 2017. The Stochastic Frontier Analysis technique, the Cobb-Douglas and the Translogarithm production functions were used to estimate technical efficiency scores. The results of the study showed that the sugarcane FCs are operationally self-sustainable, with an average technical efficiency of 83.69% (Translog) and 73.01% (Cobb-Douglas). The study identified operational sustainability, and access to grants and loans as significant contributors to improved technical efficiency. On the other hand, factors such as distance to mill, age and membership number were observed to have a negative effect on technical efficiency. Our recommendation is that government policy should focus on implementing caps on certain variables which have decreasing marginal benefit. Policy should also focus on how best to direct funding such that farmers’ operating expenses are minimised. This could be done through continual development of cost saving infrastructure to allow farmers to utilise inputs to increase efficiency.
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Manciya, Sixolise. "The impact of the new co-operative act on employment and poverty reduction: a case study of sorghum producers in the Eastern Cape province." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001026.
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In general, traditional co-operatives suffer from free-rider, horizon, portfolio, control and influence problems that starve them of both equity and debt capital. Evidently, the factors which constrain agricultural development also inhibit co-operative development in the former homelands. These factors include socio-economic as well as political factors operating in the environment of the cooperatives. In addition to these external factors, co-operatives have several internal problems such as inefficient management and lack of understanding of the co-operative concept and principles. The New Cooperative Act No. 14 of 2005 was an attempt at addressing these fundamental problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze the extent towhich cooperatives organized on the basis of this new Act have performed and to ascertainwhether or not they have met the expectations of the policy makers. In order to address these issues a structured questionnaire was used to interview 100 farmers. Farmers were divided into two groups, one group consisting of fifty members and the other fifty non-members; all these farmers were randomly selected from Ndonga and Maqhashu in Lady frère. The study investigated and profiled the socio-economic situation of the communities of Ndonga and Maqhashu with particular emphasis on the employment and poverty situations, as well as the income earning opportunities in the communities. It also undertook a comparison of the members and non-members of the co-operatives in terms of their production results under the sorghum production programmes in the two communities.The data were analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics which explain some measures of central tendency and dispersion as well as levels of significance. A t-test of independent samples was used to compare the means for the sorghum yields and revenues for non-members and members of the co-operative. Gross margin analysis was also used to determine the financial implications of cooperation for the smallholders. In addition, a multiple regression model and a discriminant function were fitted to determine the factors explaining the differences in performance of members and non-members of the cooperative society. The Gross Margin analysis shows that the cooperatives are operating at a loss, meaning they produce less with high production costs. However, the results also show that the Ndonga and Maqhashu sorghum co-operative did not benefit only its members but the whole community through significant job creation for the local population.
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Trupo, Paul. "Agricultural Cooperation and Horticultural Produce Marketing in Southwest Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36871.
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<p>
Agricultural production in Southwest Virginia is characterized by numerous small, geographically disperse farms dedicated to traditional practices of producing tobacco and cattle. Community leaders have expressed the desire to diversify the region's agricultural production base to include potentially more profitable commodities such as horticultural crops. In order for the small growers to penetrate the fresh horticultural market and compete with the larger production regions, they must organize themselves into a farmer cooperative that allows them to pool resources, reduce costs, and share risk.
<p>
A successful cooperative will increase farm incomes for the region's producers. The co-op will strive to obtain a higher price for the commodities produced than that price which can be obtained by growers acting independently. The increase in farm incomes should offset forecasted decreases in agricultural incomes resulting from declines in the region's traditional production activities. Increased farm incomes for a large number of small growers should have a substantial impact on agricultural producers, marketers, and equipment suppliers and lead to economic development for the region as a whole.
<p>
Several past horticultural cooperative efforts have been publicly financed and eventually failed for a wide variety of reasons. The methodology used in this research include surveying and interviewing marketing specialists, co-op managers, growers, extension agents, horticulturists, and other experts involved with both successful and failed cooperative efforts. The data gathered from these interviews has been used to identify key factors that have contributed to the success or failure of the other cooperative efforts.
<p>
Based on the key factors identified from the research, a specific cooperative structure has been developed for the Southwest Virginia growers. This organizational structure incorporates into its legal documentation (bylaws, business plan, and marketing agreement) the critical factors that must be carried out by members, management, extension, and marketers in order to increase the probability for the cooperative's long-term survival and profitability.<br>Master of Science
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Rodrigues, Luiza Maria da Silva. "Agentes comunitários e cooperativismo solidário: o caso da Cresol de Francisco Beltrão." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2015. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/1493.
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Este trabalho analisa a percepção dos agricultores familiares atuantes no Programa de Agentes Comunitários em relação às práticas de autogestão e solidariedade no Cooperativismo Solidário da Cresol Francisco Beltrão. A Cresol é uma cooperativa de crédito rural, de perspectiva solidária, constituída e gerida por agricultores familiares desde 1995,inicialmente constituída no Sudoeste do Paraná, a cooperativa propagou-se em diversos outros municípios. A Cresol Francisco Beltrão foi uma das primeiras a serem criadas e, hoje, destaca-se perante as outras cooperativas por seus indicadores econômicos. As cooperativas Cresol desenvolveram um programa de formação para associados denominado Programa de Agentes Comunitários há 15 anos. Após este período de execução, em 2015, observa-se que os agentes comunitários possuem o papel de estreitar as relações entre a direção da cooperativa e os demais associados, entretanto, os agentes apontam que o princípio da solidariedade encontra-se fragilizada, pois ao observar a relação dos demais associados com a cooperativa, percebem que estes a consideram apenas como uma instituição financeira. A autogestão, que se manifesta na forma como os associados tratam de temas gerenciais e administrativos e como se desafiam a criar mecanismos que ampliem os espaços de consulta coletiva para a tomada de decisão da cooperativa. Neste sentido, observou-se que há algumas práticas que estimulam a democratização de informações e relatórios acerca da gestão, bem como o trabalho do agente comunitário em estimular a participação de outros sócios em reuniões comunitárias. Contudo o fluxo de informação é assimétrica, ocorrendo da cooperativa para a comunidade. Os agentes comunitários da Cresol Francisco Beltrão afirmam ser necessário que a direção desta cooperativa organize eventos e reuniões envolvendo mais associados para ampliar e fortalecer os princípios da solidariedade e autogestão no cooperativismo solidário, bem como da cooperação.<br>This paper analyzes the perceptions of family farmers included in the Program of Community Agents about solidarity and self-management practices in Solidary Cooperativism of Cresol Francisco Beltrão. The Cresol is a rural credit cooperative, with solidarity perspective, organized and managed by family farmers since 1995, initially established in Southwestern of Paraná, the cooperative has spread in several other municipalities. The Cresol Francisco Beltrao was one of the first created and today stands out against the others cooperatives for its economic indicators. Cresol created a training program for members named Program of Community Agents 15 years ago. After this period of implementation, in 2015, it is observed that community workers have the role of closer relations between the direction of the cooperative and the other members, however, the agents point out that the principle of solidarity is fragile, because by observing the relationship of the others associates with the cooperative, they realize that the others consider it only as a financial institution. The concepts of self-management that is manifested in the way associates address management and administrative issues and how they challenge themselves to create mechanisms that expand the spaces of collective consultation for cooperative decision-making. In this sense, it was observed that there are some practices that encourage the democratization of information and reports on the management and the work of community agent in stimulating the participation of others associates in community meetings. However the flow of information is asymmetric, it pass from the cooperative for the community. Community agents of Cresol Francisco Beltrão claim to be necessary that the direction of the cooperative organize events and meetings involving more members for expand and strengthen the principles of solidarity and self-management in solidary cooperativism, as well as cooperation.
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Schroder, Monica. "Finanças, comunidades e inovações : organizações financeiras da agricultura familiar - o Sistema Cresol (1995-2003)." [s.n.], 2005. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/285556.
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Previous issue date: 2005<br>Resumo: Governos, agências de cooperação internacional, organizações não-governamentais, associações, cooperativas e instituições financeiras vêm reconhecendo, especialmente a partir dos anos 1990, a importância do microcrédito e das microfinanças para atender as demandas financeiras das populações mais pobres, que não têm acesso ao sistema financeiro ou acessam-no com dificuldades. São novas modalidades de operacionalização dos produtos financeiros, que facilitam o acesso a contas corrente e de poupança, seguros e créditos de pequeno montante e que utilizam a maior proximidade social com a clientela para avaliar o risco e as garantia do crédito concedido. Organizações financeiras adaptadas vêm atendendo também as demandas financeiras dos agricultores familiares, em diversos países. No Brasil, o Sistema de Cooperativas de Crédito Rural com Interação Solidária ¿ o Sistema Cresol, na região Sul, formado por pequenas cooperativas, atende exclusivamente esse público. Constituído no biênio 1995/1996, o Cresol apresenta importantes resultados: tem ampliado e universalizado o atendimento financeiro, reduzido os custos de transação dos financiamentos, consolidado laços com o espaço local e com os agentes que nele atuam e assegurado sua sustentabilidade institucional e financeira. Para responder por que as organizações financeiras da agricultura familiar, como o Sistema Cresol, conseguem ampliar o acesso desses agricultores aos benefícios da política de financiamento rural e ao sistema financeiro, alcançando segmentos sociais que, tradicionalmente, o sistema bancário não prioriza ou tem dificuldades para atender, elaborou-se esta tese. Sua hipótese é que as organizações financeiras da agricultura familiar produzem, em relação às práticas tradicionais do sistema bancário, inovações em diferentes dimensões para a oferta de crédito e de outros serviços financeiros; a capacidade de inovar é função dos elementos do arranjo institucional em que a atuação das organizações está fundamentada. O objetivo é analisar os elementos do arranjo institucional que sustenta o Sistema Cresol, os atributos que tornam tal arranjo inovador, conferindo-lhe eficiência na coordenação de determinada transação, e o papel das inovações para a própria permanência da organização financeira. A análise se fundamenta, desse modo, nos fatores econômicos e não-econômicos da trajetória e dinâmica do Sistema Cresol. Conclui-se que a flexibilidade que as cooperativas têm para se adequarem à realidade das comunidades em que atuam, que facilita a assimilação ao arranjo institucional da complexa trama social local, e os instrumentos de gestão contábil-financeira e de controle social, que facilitam o processo de aprendizagem acerca da organização, são os elementos que diferenciam o arranjo institucional do Sistema Cresol, favorecem as inovações e atribuem maior consistência às variáveis econômico-financeiras. A identidade institucional baseia-se, portanto, em vínculos concretos entre duas realidades, a das organizações financeiras e a dos agricultores familiares, havendo, por isso, uma proximidade social entre a atuação das cooperativas e as demandas financeiras dos agricultores e, também, a adequação dessas demandas à racionalidade econômica que caracteriza o empreendimento cooperativo<br>Abstract: Governments, international cooperation agencies, no-government organizations (NGO¿s), associations, cooperatives and financial institutions are recognizing, especially from the 1990¿s, the importance of the microcredit and of the microfinance among the poorest populations that either don't have access to financial system or have difficulties in doing it. There are new services modalities of the financial products in that the proximity with the clientele is important to evaluate the risk and the guaranteed of credit and facilitate the access of the checking account, saving, safe and small credit. In several countries financial organizations are also assisting the family farmers' financial demands. In Brazil, the System of Rural Credit Cooperatives with Solidary Interaction - the Cresol System, in Southern area, was created to serving family farmers organized in small cooperatives. Created in 1995/1996 biennium, Cresol System has presents remarkable results: it has been enlarging and universalized the financial service; reduced the financings transaction costs; consolidated the links between the local space and agents; and strengthen the institutional and financial sustainability. In order to contribute to the understanding of this issue, this thesis set out to answers why the family farms financial organizations, as the Cresol System, gets to enlarge the access of farmers to the benefits of the rural financing where traditionally the bank system doesn't prioritize or assist. The hypothesis is that the family farmers¿ financial organizations have been innovative in many dimensions of the credit line and other financial services; the innovate capacity is due to the elements of the institutional arrangement in that the performance of the organizations is based. The main objective is analyze the elements of such institutional arrangement that sustains the Cresol System; the attributes that turn such arrangement innovative in improving the performance of the specific transaction coordination; and the role of the innovations in preserve the permanence of the own financial organization. The analysis is based on the economical and no-economical factors of the trajectory and dynamics of the Cresol System. The results of such investigation point out that, firstly, the cooperatives flexibility to adapt to such communities' reality (poor and small farmer family), that facilitates the assimilation to the institutional arrangement, and secondly, the instruments of the account-financial management and social control, that facilitate the organization learning process area. Both elements that differentiate the Cresol System's institutional arrangement favor the innovations and attribute better consistence to the economical-financial elements. The institutional identity is based on concrete links between two realities: the one of the financial organizations and the other of the family farmers. It results in a social proximity between the cooperatives performance, the farmers' financial demands and the demands adaptation to the economical rationality that characterizes the cooperative enterprise<br>Doutorado<br>Politica Economica<br>Doutor em Ciências Econômicas
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Gopalakrishnan, Muthukumaru. "The Idle Padi Land Rehabilitation Programmes (IPLRPs) in peninsular Malaysia : land idling, membership of IPLRPs and farmers' attitudes and perceptions of impact." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.322587.
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Yossuck, Pradtana. "Factors contributing to the viability of farmer associations in Northern Thailand : multiple case study /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9964015.
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Savi, Aline Roman. "As relações constituídas historicamente entre produtores familiares e cooperativas agropecuárias no RGS : a Cooperativa Regional Sananduva de Carnes e Derivados Ltda." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/17260.
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A presença e a importância das cooperativas no Rio Grande do Sul - especialmente as ligadas ao setor produtivo - é consenso entre os estudiosos do tema. Estas organizações foram constituídas por distintos agentes, com, igualmente, objetivos distintos, em múltiplos tempos e locais, apresentando estruturas e funcionamentos diversos. A fim de compreender o rico e pouco estudado universo dos elaboradores e participantes da constituição dessas organizações - no caso, os produtores familiares ligados à Cooperativa de Carnes do município de Sananduva - bem como das formas com que seus associados se relacionam com elas, contemplando, igualmente as mudanças operadas nas próprias Organizações, este trabalho elabora, primeiramente, tipos ideais dos produtores associados. Em segundo momento, examina as transformações operadas na própria Cooperativa, visando estabelecer, a partir destas duas análises, quais são as relações constituídas entre a Organização e seus associados. Conjeturaram-se, como hipóteses fundamentais, que, à medida que os produtores de suínos associados avançam no processo histórico, eles transformam-se, diversificando-se quanto a seu tipo. A cooperativa estudada, por sua vez, consolida um modelo hegemônico, o empresarial, mas mantém laços de dominação pautados na tradição. Verificou-se, comprovando-se as hipóteses apontadas, a presença de dois tipos de produtores: o tradicional e o empresarial, que sustentam uma dominação em relação à Cooperativa (progressivamente burocratizada e empresarial) baseada em uma relação firmada em valores.<br>The presence and importance of cooperatives within Rio Grande do Sul - especially those that are linked to the productive sector - is consensus among specialists of the topic. These organizations were constituted by different agents, with, likewise, different goals, in multiple times and localities, showing diverse structures and functionings. With the purpose to understand the rich and little-studied universe of people who elaborate and participate in the constitution of those organizations - in this case, the family producers involved to the "Cooperativa Sananduva de Carnes e Derivados Ltda." [a cooperative of meat production] within Sananduva Municipality - as well as the forms by which associates report to them, having in mind, as well, the changes that has been operated in the Organizations, this work elaborates, firstly, ideal types of the associated producers. At a second time, it examines the transformations that were operated inside the Cooperative, attempting to establish, from these two analyses, what are the relationships that were constituted between the Organization and their associates. The fundamental hypotheses that have been conjuctured is that, as long as the associates of swine production go forward in the historic process, they transform themselves, diversifying according to their type. The surveyed cooperative consolidates a hegemonic model, or entrepreneurial, however it keeps links of domination patterned by tradition. It was verified, confirming the mentioned hypotheses, the presence of two types of producers: the traditional and the entrepreneurial in relation to the Cooperative (progressively bureaucratized and entrepreneurial) based on a relation that has been consolidated in values.
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Vasco, Ana Paula Debastiani. "Autogestão e sustentabilidade na Cresol de Dois Vizinhos - PR: uma possibilidade alternativa?" Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2012. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/376.
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Este trabalho está vinculado a uma problemática conjunta de pesquisa que visa entender se a gestão de programas ou políticas públicas desenvolvidas por organizações não governamentais (ONG) ou órgãos públicos de Dois Vizinhos se alinham aos preceitos do desenvolvimento da agricultura familiar, numa perspectiva sustentável. Para tanto foi realizado um diagnóstico sócio-economico-ambiental na comunidade Fazenda Mazurana, com o objetivo de entender a dinâmica das ações dessas organizações na situação de vida dos agricultores familiares da comunidade. Especificamente esse trabalho concentrou-se na Cooperativa de Crédito Rural Cresol. Entende-se que há evidências teóricas e contextuais que permitem apontar a economia solidária como uma proposta alternativa para a agricultura familiar. Este modelo de organização preconiza um processo econômico-social autogestionário. Nesse sentido, buscou-se entender como os agricultores cooperados compreendem e participam da autogestão visando identificar como esse modelo tem conduzido, ou não, as famílias agricultoras à práticas sustentáveis. A esse respeito identificou-se as boas/razoáveis condições dos cooperados da Cresol, resultado principalmente do Programa Água Limpa acessado pela comunidade via Prefeitura Municipal e, ao que pareceu, das estratégias montadas pelos próprios agricultores.Verificou-se algumas tendências dos rumos da organização no caso ilustrativo da Cresol de Dois Vizinhos-PR que, pode apontar para orientações do Sistema Cresol.<br>This work is bound to issue a joint research aimed at understanding the management of public policies or programs developed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or public bodies of two neighbors line up to the precepts of the development of family farming in a sustainable perspective. To do so was made a diagnosis socio-economic-environmental community Mazurana Farm, in order to understand the dynamics of the actions of these organizations in the life situation of the farmers of the community. Specifically, this work focused on the Rural Credit Cooperative Cresol. It is understood that there are theoretical and contextual evidence that may point out the social economy as an alternative proposal to the family farm. This model proposes a process of organizing economic and social self-management. Accordingly, we sought to understand how farmers understand and participate in cooperative self-management to identify how this model has led, or not, the sustainable practices of farming families. In this respect we identified good / reasonable conditions of the cooperative Cresol, mainly as a result of the Clean Water program accessed via the community and City Hall, it seemed, strategies mounted by the agricultures. Some trends were checked in the direction of the organization the illustrative case of two neighbors of Cresol-PR that can point to System guidelines Cresol.
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Sick, Deborah 1956. "The golden bean : coffee, cooperatives and small-farmer decision making in Costa Rica." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=41768.
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Coffee production in Costa Rica has brought prosperity to many small farmers, but conflicts of interest with the companies which process and market coffee are still a problem. In addition, producers and processors are plagued by the periodic market cycles of agricultural commodities. Various agencies have promoted cooperatives to help small farmers deal with these problems, but they often fail due to poor management and lack of participation.<br>This thesis, a multi-layered study of coffee production, processing, and marketing, examines how household producers manage the constraints and opportunities posed by the international market, the Costa Rican state, and the coffee tree itself. A comparative analysis between cooperative and private coffee processors; between two rural communities; and among households in these communities provides the ethnographic context in which the effectiveness of cooperatives as mediating institutions between producers and the world market is analyzed.
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Russell, Levi Alan. "Cost efficiency and capital structure in farms and cooperatives." Diss., Kansas State University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/16860.
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Doctor of Philosophy<br>Department of Agricultural Economics<br>Brian C. Briggeman<br>U.S. farm profitability is near historic highs. This fact raises many questions related to the economics of production agriculture. Three questions are examined in this dissertation. First, should farmers use a different benchmark for farm profitability? To answer this question, a benchmark of farm profitability is developed that adds balance sheet information to an established benchmark which uses only income statement data. The second and third questions focus on cooperatives since farmers rely on efficient cooperative management to maximize their return on investment in the cooperative and their own farm profitability. How should cooperatives allocate earnings to farmers? To answer this question, a model is developed to inform boards of directors regarding optimal equity allocation decisions. Finally, do cooperatives face agency costs? To answer this question, a variable cost model is estimated to examine the indirect costs of leverage.
The first essay used data from Kansas farms to determine the effects of the use of debt on cost efficiency. A nonparametric cost efficiency model was used to examine these effects. Results indicated that farms which were more specialized, had higher capital costs, and used more equity to finance assets experienced larger increases in efficiency when the use of debt was included in the analysis.
The second essay used information on effective tax rates and empirically-estimated risk aversion coefficients in a portfolio model to determine the effects of different tax rates on the distribution of earnings. Results indicated that even a large deviation in current effective tax rates is not likely to affect the optimal share of allocated earnings. However, member risk preferences had an economically significant effect on the optimal share of allocated earnings, suggesting that board members focus on understanding member risk preferences.
The third essay used data from U.S. agricultural cooperatives to determine the presence of agency costs due to the use of debt. A variable cost function was estimated to generate an index of variable cost efficiency which was used to determine the indirect costs of leverage. A negative relationship between debt and variable cost efficiency was found, indicating that agency costs were present for agricultural cooperatives.
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Silva, Vilmar da. "O papel do programa de aquisição de alimentos – PAA - para o fortalecimento da agricultura familiar: o caso da Cooperativa da Agricultura Familiar Integrada – COOPAFI - de Capanema, PR." Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2013. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/631.
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Em um país onde a agricultura familiar é historicamente tratada como o patinho feio, sendo as políticas públicas geralmente voltadas à agricultura patronal na produção de commodities agrícolas, é criado pelo governo federal, em 2003, o Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos – PAA, o qual tem contido em um dos seus objetivos o “Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar”. A partir desta primicia, a indagação sobre a reificação deste objetivo causou o interesse em buscar dados que pudessem contribuir com o entendimento da forma com que o PAA atinge os agricultores familiares, tanto no contexto econômico, quanto no social. Assim, na busca pela resposta de qual é o papel que o Programa tem no fortalecimento da agricultura familiar e considerando que o fortalecimento da agricultura também se dá, conforme vasta bibliografia já produzida, à organização destes agricultores em associações e cooperativas, foi realizado um estudo de caso na Cooperativa da Agricultura Familiar Integrada – Coopafi – de Capanema, sendo esta escolhida por ser fruto da primeira cooperativa de comercialização da agricultura familiar na Região Sudoeste do Paraná, a Cooperfac – Cooperativa da Agricultura Familiar de Capanema. Neste sentido a dissertação discute como emergem as estratégias de comercialização da agricultura familiar nos mercados, tanto institucionais, quanto particulares. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é identificar o papel do PAA para o fortalecimento da agricultura familiar em decorrência do estreitamento das relações entre os agricultores familiares e o mercado institucional. Para tanto, duas hipóteses orientam a pesquisa. A primeira assevera que a ação de Política Pública – PAA – cumpre os objetivos com que foi proposta e tem um peso significativo no fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar e no desenvolvimento rural sustentável. A segunda hipótese remete ao fato de que os atores envolvidos, agricultores familiares e dirigentes da cooperativa, em todo o processo de comercialização do PAA têm a percepção da importância desta Política Pública na melhoria das condições socioeconômicas dos Agricultores Familiares e da sociedade em que estes estão inseridos. A amplitude destas questões afirmam a escolha da realização de um estudo de caso e a utilização de técnicas de pesquisa quantitativas e qualitativas. Assim, os procedimentos metodológicos relacionam-se a aplicação de um formulário padronizado, entrevista semi-estruturada e observação direta, além da utilização de dados secundários. Em síntese, os resultados da pesquisa confirmam, parcialmente, as hipóteses iniciais. Primeiramente, estes demonstram que o PAA fortalece a agricultura familiar, porém com algumas limitações. Ao mesmo tempo, evidenciam como o processo de comercialização via PAA modificou o modo de produção e de relação do agricultor familiar com o mercado, demontrando a percepção dos agricultores quanto à importância do PAA e do associativismo para o desenvolvimento sustentável.<br>In a country where family farming is historically treated as ‘the ugly duckling’, and public policy generally directed to agriculture employer in the production of agricultural commodities it is created by the Federal Government in 2003, the Food Acquisition Program – FAP (PAA), which has embraced as one of its objectives ‘Strengthening Family Farming’. With this idea in mind, the quest about reification of this objective caused the interest in seeking data that could contribute to the understanding of the way the FAP (PAA) reaches the farmers, both in economic and social context. Thus, searching for an answer about what is the program role on strengthening family farming and considering that the strengthening of agriculture also occurs according to extensive bibliography already produced from the organization of farmers into associations and cooperatives, a case study was conducted at the Family Farming Cooperative Integrated - Coopafi – Capanema, it was chosen for being result of the first marketing cooperative of family farms in the Southwest Region of Paraná, Cooperfac - Family Agriculture Cooperative of Capanema. In this sense the dissertation discusses how marketing strategies of family farming emerge in the markets, both institutional and private. The main objective of this work is to identify the role of FAP (PAA) to strengthen family agriculture due to the strengthening of relations between the farmers and the institutional market. For this reason, two hypotheses guide the research: the first asserts that the action of Public Policy – FAP (PAA) - accomplishes the objectives with what have been proposed and has a significant importance on strengthening family farming and sustainable rural development. The second hypothesis refers to the fact that the actors involved, family farmers and cooperative leaders, in the whole process of marketing the FAP (PAA) are aware of the importance of Public Policy in improving the socioeconomic conditions of Family Farmers and the society in which they are inserted. The extend of these issues asserts the choice of performing a case study and the use of techniques of quantitative and qualitative research. Thus, the methodological procedures relating to the application of a standardized form, semi-structured interview and direct observation, besides the use of secondary data. In summary, the survey results confirm, in part, the initial hypotheses. First, they demonstrate that the FAP (PAA) strengthens family farms, but with some limitations. At the same time, they highlight how the process of commercialization via FAP (PAA) modified the mode of production and the farmer's family relationship with the market,
demonstrating the perception of farmers related to the importance of FAP (PAA) and associations for sustainable development.
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Smith, Maurice Devoe Jr. "An Analysis of African American Farmer Participation in Virginia Cooperative Extension: An Emphasis on the Small Farm Outreach and Technical Assistance Program." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19217.
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This research study examined African American farmer participation in Virginia Cooperative Extension as a step toward fully understanding the role participation plays in supporting African American farmers as legitimate learners within the Cooperative Extension system. This study, therefore, focused on exploring participation in African American farmer programs through the single case of Virginia Cooperative Extension\'s Small Farm Outreach and Technical Assistance Program. This program, which is housed at Virginia State University, aims to support minority farmers who have limited access to benefits from USDA programs. Historically, limited resource farmers have been challenged to gain full access to programs offered by Cooperative Extension. <br />Using a qualitative case study design, individual interviews were conducted with African American farmers, extension specialists, small farm agents, and the program administrators. Two focus groups were conducted with the Small Farm Program agents and another with African American farmers that participated in the program. A review of the findings indicated that the Small Farm Outreach and Technical Assistance at Virginia State University provide various educational opportunities to African American farmers. The program provides one-on-one technical assistance, distribution of information, USDA loan application assistance, workshops and conferences, and networking. Participants stated that agents being "hands on" was a great way to talk and effectively provide assistance to them. The findings for the study characterized barriers relaying from challenges in the program to communication between program and farmers. Family motivation, technology, and the USDA were other unknown barriers that were revealed in the study. <br />The data suggest improvements for the program; first, the involvement of more farmers in the program planning of educational opportunities at Virginia State University would increase participation. Second, the current evaluation of strategies should be continued as a method of usage. However, a pre and post survey should be conducted to analyze and discover farmer\'s usage in modern to traditional communication systems. Third, providing additional technological advancement training to agents, specialists, and director to be more advance in the new age, and lastly at conferences and/or workshops, construct more engaging informative discussions on adult learning and farm family motivation factors.<br>Master of Science in Life Sciences
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Dowdall, Courtney M. "Small Farmer Market Knowledge and Specialty Coffee Commodity Chains in Western Highlands Guatemala." FIU Digital Commons, 2012. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/638.
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For producers motivated by their new status as self-employed, landowning, capitalist coffee growers, specialty coffee presents an opportunity to proactively change the way they participate in the international market. Now responsible for determining their own path, many producers have jumped at the chance to enhance the value of their product and participate in the new “fair trade” market. But recent trends in the international coffee price have led many producers to wonder why their efforts to produce a certified Fair Trade and organic product are not generating the price advantage they had anticipated. My study incorporates data collected in eighteen months of fieldwork, including more than 45 interviews with coffee producers and fair trade roasters, 90 surveys of coffee growers, and ongoing participant observation to understand how fair trade certification, as both a market system and development program, meets the expectations of the coffee growers. By comparing three coffee cooperatives that have engaged the Fair Trade system to disparate ends, the results of this investigation are three case studies that demonstrate how global processes of certification, commodity trade, market interaction, and development aid effect social and cultural change within communities. This study frames several lessons learned in terms of 1. socioeconomic impacts of fair trade, 2. characteristics associated with positive development encounters, and 3. potential for commodity producers to capture value further along their global value chain. Commodity chain comparisons indicate the Fair Trade certified cooperative receives the highest per-pound price, though these findings are complicated by costs associate with certification and producers’ perceptions of an “unjust” system. Fair trade-supported projects are demonstrated as more “successful” in the eyes of recipients, though their attention to detail can just as easily result in “failure”. Finally, survey results reveal just how limited is the market knowledge of producers in each cooperative, though fair trade does, in fact, provide a rare opportunity for producers to learn about consumer demand for coffee quality. Though bittersweet, the fair trade experiences described here present a learning opportunity for a wide range of audiences, from the certified to the certifiers to the concerned public and conscientious consumer.
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Whaley, L. "Power-sharing in the English lowlands? : exploring farmer cooperation and participation in water governance." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2014. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/9222.
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Involving stakeholders in water governance is becoming an increasingly important topic in England. In this thesis I consider this ambition from the farming perspective, by investigating the potential for farmers to cooperate and participate in water governance. This dynamic is viewed through the conceptual lens of adaptive comanagement, an approach which its proponents claim can achieve the dual focus of ecosystem protection and livelihood sustainability under conditions of change and uncertainty. The relevance of adaptive comanagement is highlighted by the increasing complexity and uncertainty surrounding water governance in England, amongst other things because of the effects of climate change and a growing population. The research adopts an integrated methodological approach that revolves around a “politicised” version of the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework. Initially, three separate analyses investigate the context surrounding farming and water governance. The results of the contextual phase are incorporated into a more focused analysis, involving five farmer irrigator groups in the lowlands of eastern England. Here the intention is to explore the broader issues the research raises by investigating the potential for these groups to comanage water resources. Nine factors of success are identified, from which deeper, more abstract causal mechanisms are inferred. The relevance of the findings are discussed in relation to farming and water governance in England going forwards. Several key outcomes emerge from this research, including: 1) a theoretical and practical demonstration of the applicability of the politicised IAD Framework to studies of adaptive comanagement, 2) an understanding of the ways in which power, policy, and levels of trust influence the ability of lowland farmers to cooperate and participate in water governance, 3) specific strategies that can be used to develop comanagement arrangements between farmer groups and water managers.
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Snider, Anna. "The role of small farmer cooperatives in the management of voluntary coffee certifications in Costa Rica." Thesis, Montpellier, SupAgro, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016NSAM0006/document.
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La certification volontaire offre aux consommateurs des informations détaillées sur le processus de production et/ou de fabrication des produits. Les organisations paysannes jouent un rôle important dans la gestion de certification et de l'accès des petits agriculteurs aux marchés certifiés. Les organisations de producteurs du Costa Rica ont historiquement joué un rôle important dans la participation des petits producteurs aux filières certifiées et leur motivation à accéder aux marchés certifiés. Les organisations paysannes jouent un rôle important dans la gestion de certification et de l'accès des petits agriculteurs aux marchés certifiés. Pour ces raisons, le Costa Rica offre un environnement intéressant pour étudier la façon dont les organisations de producteurs de café arrivent à gérer la certification de leurs membres.Cette recherche se concentre uniquement sur les coopératives et les consortiums de coopératives puisqu’elles sont importantes dans le processus de certification. Considérant le manque de connaissances sur le rôle des coopératives et de la certification volontaire du café, cette thèse traite les questions suivantes: Quel est le rôle des coopératives dans la gestion des certifications volontaires ? Quels sont les changements induits par la certification, au niveau des coopératives et des exploitations ?, Quels aspects sociaux uniques propres au Costa Rica influencent la gestion et l'efficacité de la certification?Les administrateurs de vingt des vingt-deux coopératives de café au Costa Rica ont été enquêtés. Quatre coopératives ont ensuite été sélectionnées pour les études de cas approfondies.Bien que les certifications soient souvent critiqués de ne pas provoquer d‘amélioration au niveau de l'exploitation en raison de la sélection des exploitations conformées uniquement, le facteur qui encourage les coopératives à choisir la certification individuelle est la structure des certifications, y compris la faible demande de café certifié, les incitations faible et variables des prix, les coûts élevés de l'audit et des exigences élevées en gestion et en formation. Au Costa Rica, la certification de café volontaire fournissent des avantages réels, bien que minimes aux coopératives ainsi qu’à leurs membres. Les coopératives prennent des décisions sur la gestion des certifications en fonction de leurs stratégies commerciales, du type de café qu'elles produisent et de leur dotation en capital social, cette qui se manifeste comme une solidarité de groupe ou une approche commerciale. La certification incite à une approche plus holistique de la production de café en nécessitant plus de formations et de services liés à la production durable. Elle encourage les coopératives à collaborer avec d'autres parties prenantes, en augmentant leur connectivité et leur capital social. Cela donne aux membres un accès à de nouvelles connaissances et services, ce qui peut potentiellement créer un cercle vertueux de production de capital social.La certification peut cependant encourager les coopératives à offrir des services supplémentaires ou des incitations financières à une partie de leurs membres seulement. Un niveau élevé de capital social est nécessaire au niveau administratif pour assurer une répartition équitable des avantages de la certification tout en offrant des incitations aux membres à poursuivre la certification<br>Voluntary certifications offer consumers information on the process in which products are produced. Farmers’ organizations play an important role in the management of certifications and in small-farmer access to certified markets. Costa Rican farmers’ organizations have a long history of participation in the certified value chain and in fomenting small farmers’ access to certified markets. Farmers’ organizations also make strategic decisions related to the organization’s participation in the certified value chain and how farmers are supported and incentivized to join.For these reasons Costa Rica provides an interesting milieu to study how farmers’ organizations manage certifications. Because of their importance in the certification process in Costa Rica, this research focuses on cooperatives and consortia of cooperatives. Considering the gap in knowledge regarding the role of cooperatives and voluntary coffee certifications, this thesis presents the following questions: What is the role of cooperatives in the management of voluntary coffee certifications?, What are the advantages and disadvantages of participation in voluntary certifications for cooperatives?, What changes do certifications induce at the cooperative and farm levels?, What social aspects in Costa Rica influence the management and effectiveness of certifications? Administrators from twenty of the twenty-two coffee cooperatives in Costa Rica were interviewed to obtain basic data on harvest size, membership and management and participation in certifications. Four cooperatives were selected for in-depth case studies.Certifications are often criticized for not eliciting widespread change at the farm level due to the selection of compliant farms, but it is the structure of the certifications, including low demand, weak and variable price incentives, high costs of auditing and high requirements for management and training, which incentivize cooperatives to choose individual certifications.In Costa Rica, voluntary coffee certifications promote small but real benefits to cooperatives and their members. Cooperatives make decisions about the management of certifications based on their business strategies, the type of coffee they produce and the social capital inherent in the cooperative, which is manifested as a group solidarity approach or a commercial approach.Certifications incite a more holistic approach to coffee production by requiring training and services related to sustainable production. Certifications encourage cooperatives to collaborate with other stakeholders, increasing their connectedness and organizational social capital. This gives members access to new knowledge and services and has the potential to create a virtuous cycle of the production of social capital.Certifications, however, may induce cooperatives to offer additional services or financial incentives to some members and not to others. A high level of social capital is needed at the administrative level to ensure an equitable distribution of the benefits of certifications while still offering members incentives to pursue certifications
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Ma, Wanglin [Verfasser]. "The Impact of Agricultural Cooperatives on the Adoption of Technologies and Farm Performance of Apple Farmers in China / Wanglin Ma." Kiel : Universitätsbibliothek Kiel, 2016. http://d-nb.info/1112552812/34.
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Makal, Mwinkeu Papy. "Agrarian Systems Diagnosis and Cooperatives' support to a divergent typology of farmers. The Case of the Riet River Irrigation Scheme." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/45887.
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This study highlights the many differences among the Riet River farmers, as well as the differences in the constraints they endure, including major differences in productivity (with types 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 experiencing very low levels of productivity); lack of access to new water rights (with types 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 being mainly affected); difficulty in accessing farming services (including lack of access to credit, inputs and product marketing services); insecure property rights (with types 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 being affected most due to their lack of collateral security to access the necessary services); poor infrastructure (for types 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14 especially); low farming income (primarily for types 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14); as well as high irrigation costs, lack of fertile land of good quality, and lack of financial and technical support (mainly affecting types 1, 2, 3 and 4).
GWK Limited offers a range of farming services aimed at alleviating some of the aforementioned issues. This being said, different farmers in the region are being reached and supported through these services in highly different ways. As such, the assistance provided by GWK Limited is focused mainly on improving the farming activities of a specific group of farmers (55 %) engaged in important forms of production and with high productivity rates - mostly farmers of types 5, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13. This means that farmers of types 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 14, with insecure land-tenure rights, small plots of land and low production and productivity rates, are not fully benefiting from these services. For example, the company has been hesitant to provide credit to these farmers owing to the high risk associated with loans to this category of farmers. Such risk can be attributed to insufficient or absent collateral (owing to poorly defined tenure rights and low levels of capital), poor financial recordkeeping, and high transaction costs involved in granting small production loans. Moreover, the
technical support and production practices offered to these farmers are of poor quality or non-existent, as the company’s services are focused primarily on farming for purposes of profitmaking. Despite having an Emerging Farmers Division under its management, GWK Limited is typically not interested in small-scale farmers.
This research study relating to agrarian systems typology contributes to the understanding of the diversity of South Africa’s agriculture, farmers’ livelihood strategies, and the extent to which agriculture contributes to household income. The study is also aimed at better analysing the farming system trajectories and agrarian changes in South Africa, so as to develop divergent policy recommendations for South African agriculture. In addition, the study contributes to a better understanding of which services are (or are not) reaching which types of farmers, and as such, it enables a readjustment of service provision aimed at broad-based agricultural development in South Africa.<br>Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2014.<br>tm2015<br>Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development<br>MScAgric<br>Unrestricted
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Mzuyanda, Christian. "Assessing the impact of primary agricultural co-operative membership on smallholder farm performance (crops) in Mnquma Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021285.
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Santos, Leandro Pereira dos. "Ações coletivas e sustentabilidade: uma análise da produção de frutas, verduras e legumes na microrregião de Toledo-PR." Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, 2018. http://tede.unioeste.br/handle/tede/4035.
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Previous issue date: 2018-08-24<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES<br>The motivation for this research arose from the interest in studying the possible impact of participation in collective actions on the level of sustainability of agricultural producers. Specifically, the purpose was to estimate the impact of participation in cooperatives and associations. The literature that deals with the possible benefits derived from participation in collective actions has progressed. In this context, an empirical work that examines the impact of participation in collective actions on the sustainability of agricultural producers is important, considering the three dimensions of sustainability, that is, the economic, social and environmental dimensions. In particular, in terms of scope, the work was carried out in the agricultural productive sector of fruits and vegetables of the microregion of Toledo, PR, and the level of sustainability of the producers was measured through 16 indicators of sustainability in agriculture, selected with based on the literature on the subject. In this sense, the objective of this work was to analyze the impact of participation in collective actions at the level of economic, social and environmental sustainability of the agricultural producers of fruits and vegetables of the microregion of Toledo, PR. Empirical data were obtained through the application of questionnaires and interviews with these agricultural producers. For the analysis of the data collected, the cross-sectional data analysis with the IPWRA (Inversity Probability Weight Regression Adjustment) method was used to estimate the average treatment effect, in this case, the participation in cooperatives or producer associations. The analysis was complemented, in a qualitative perspective, with the answers to the open questions that compose the applied questionnaire, as well as the direct observation of the researcher in the visits made. The results of the research indicated that in the productive sector of fruits and vegetables in the microregion of Toledo-PR, participation in collective actions has a positive impact on the level of sustainability of farmers. However, the effect was verified in a differentiated way between the dimensions, being stronger in the economic dimension and weaker in the social and environmental dimensions. These results contribute to the consolidation of the literature that has demonstrated the economic benefits of participating in collective actions and also allows the cooperatives and associations of agricultural producers of fruits and vegetables of the microregion of Toledo, PR to incorporate into their guidelines new matter that can bring improvements in the levels of social and environmental sustainability for the sector.<br>A motivação para a realização desta pesquisa surgiu do interesse em estudar o possível impacto da participação em ações coletivas no nível de sustentabilidade de produtores agrícolas. Especificamente, o intuito foi estimar o impacto da participação em cooperativas e associações. A literatura que trata dos possíveis benefícios oriundos da participação em ações coletivas tem progredido. Neste contexto, torna-se importante um trabalho de cunho empírico que busque examinar o impacto da participação em ações coletivas na sustentabilidade dos produtores agrícolas, considerando as três dimensões da sustentabilidade, ou seja, as dimensões econômica, social e ambiental. De maneira particular, em termos de escopo, o trabalho foi realizado no setor produtivo agrícola de frutas, verduras e legumes da microrregião de Toledo, PR, e o nível de sustentabilidade dos produtores foi mensurada através de 16 indicadores de sustentabilidade na agricultura, selecionados com base na literatura que trata do tema. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar qual o impacto da participação em ações coletivas no nível de sustentabilidade econômica, social e ambiental dos produtores agrícolas de frutas, verduras e legumes da microrregião de Toledo, PR. Os dados empíricos foram obtidos através da aplicação de questionários e entrevistas com esses produtores agrícolas. Para análise dos dados coletados, utilizou-se a análise de dados de corte transversal com método econométrico IPWRA (Inversity Probability Weightinh Regression Adjustment) para estimação do efeito médio do tratamento que, neste caso, é a participação em cooperativas ou associações de produtores. A análise foi complementada, numa perspectiva qualitativa, com as respostas às perguntas abertas que compõem o questionário aplicado, bem como da observação direta do pesquisador nas visitas realizadas. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram que no setor produtivo de frutas, verduras e legumes na microrregião de Toledo-PR, a participação em ações coletivas tem impacto positivo no nível de sustentabilidade dos agricultores. Destaca-se, entretanto, que o efeito foi verificado de forma diferenciada entre as dimensões, sendo mais forte na dimensão econômica e mais fraca nas dimensões social e ambiental. Estes resultados colaboram para a consolidação da literatura que tem demonstrado os benefícios econômicos da participação em ações coletivas e, também, abre espaço para que as cooperativas e associações de produtores agrícolas de frutas, verduras e legumes da microrregião de Toledo, PR incorporem nas suas pautas de atuação, novas matérias que possam trazer melhorias nos níveis de sustentabilidade social e ambiental para o setor.
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Ahlqvist, Marcus. "Applicability of simulation analysis for planning agri-food supply chains : A case study at a Swedish farmer-owned cooperative." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för samhällsbyggnad och industriell teknik, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-446478.
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Agri-food supply chains (ASCs) are becoming increasingly complex, and its actors are in need of sophisticated planning tools to remain competitive in an industry that have been moving away from small individual actors towards large multi-national, highly vertically integrated cooperatives. This case study views reality from an objectivist point of view and utilises a positivist approach to study this reality. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods to study an ASC operating in the Kingdom of Sweden. This ASC’s planning processes are investigated in order to identify processes that are applicable to simulation by considering model verification, validation, and credibility. The simulation model allowed for system analyses from a strategic perspective and, hence, simplified the planning process of evaluating different scenarios. The model was intrinsically verified and validated in consultation with the supervisor and subject reader and was thus able to accurately imitate the real-world system. The simulated scenarios comprised changes to the ASC’s infrastructure or design. The changes, in turn, comprised decommissions of one or more port-site storage facilities (HPs). Questions that were asked during the evaluation of the experiment results included what happens to the inventory levels of the non-decommissioned HPs when certain ones close? will the demand still be met? and if, then where, will queues arise in the system? It is shown that the non-decommissioned HPs will manage the closed HP’s volumes, but only to a certain extent. One closed HP does not cause severe problems, while two closed ones can create queues, which, in turn, will result in lower than desired inventory levels at the end of the harvesting period. Queues will arise from the closing of just one HP, although this queue is practically negligible, but as two are closed, the queues will create problems. The demand was able to be met even though an HP was closed, but to meet it while two HPs are closed, one of the non-decommissioned ones’ capacity must be increased. This, ultimately, generated or achieved for the host organisation a so called proof of concept (this is argued to generate credibility in the model). Some of the identified characteristics of their ASC are considered generic, while others can only be claimed to be specific the studied ASC. The study thus claims to have initiated a framework for the differentiation of strategic, tactical, and operational planning levels in an ASC.
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Silva, Telma Coelho da. "Qual é o caminho? Uma análise das estratégias de acesso a mercados da Cooperativa Grande Sertão." Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 2013. http://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/4191.
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Previous issue date: 2013-06-28<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior<br>Over the years, family farmers struggled for their products have access to markets. Currently this social segment has been strengthened mainly by incentives of governmental policies designed to improve the social and economic conditions of family farming by encouraging the flow of production. Within this framework, the objective of this dissertation is to analyze the strategies used by the Cooperativa de Agricultores Familiares e Agroextrativista Grande Sertão (Grande Sertão - CGS) [Agroextractive Cooperative of Family Farmers Grande Sertão] for the inclusion of the production of their members in the markets. This is an organization of family farmers in the north of the state of Minas Gerais that trades products and foodstuffs such as fruit pulps typical from Cerrado and Caatinga, honey, brown sugar, vegetables, etc. This organization has over the years won various markets and it stands out by organizing farmers in the region, through the valorization of culture and of local products and the encouragement of agro-ecological practices. Thus we sought to understand which has been its path, identifying the strategies and tools used to promote the access to markets for agriculture products of family farms. This study is characterized as a descriptive research. First, it was built a theoretical framework based on the New Economic Sociology and the Actors Oriented Perspective to base the analysis of this case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open and closed questions, to board members, representatives of partner organizations and associates. We conclude that the Cooperative Grande Sertão managed to articulate the efforts of its members and its partnerships with various organizations resulting in an important impetus to its development. The organization also took advantage of the public policies adopted by the government. Thus, we identified the main strategies used to market access and also revealed some weaknesses that could jeopardize its future development.<br>A agricultura familiar, ao longo dos anos, teve dificuldades para inserir os seus produtos nos mercados. Atualmente esse setor tem se fortalecido, principalmente, por incentivos de políticas públicas governamentais, que visam melhorar as condições sociais e econômicas da agricultura familiar, por meio do incentivo ao escoamento da produção. Nesse marco, o objetivo desta dissertação foi analisar as estratégias utilizadas pela Cooperativa de Agricultores Familiares e Agroextrativista Grande Sertão (Grande Sertão - CGS) para a inserção da produção dos seus cooperados nos mercados. Trata-se de uma organização de agricultores familiares do norte do Estado de Minas Gerais, que comercializa produtos e alimentos, como polpas de frutas típicas do cerrado e da caatinga, mel, rapadura, hortaliças, entre outros. Esta organização, ao longo dos anos, conquistou distintos mercados e se destaca por organizar os agricultores da região, por meio da valorização da cultura, dos produtos locais e do incentivo às práticas agroecológicas. Dessa forma, procura-se compreender qual foi sua trajetória, identificar as estratégias e as ferramentas utilizadas para o acesso aos mercados dos produtos da agricultura familiar. Esta proposta caracteriza-se como uma pesquisa descritiva, sendo realizado, primeiramente, um levantamento bibliográfico, construindo um referencial teórico baseado na Nova Sociologia Econômica e na Perspectiva Orientada aos Atores, a fim de embasar as análises deste estudo de caso. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com questões abertas e fechadas junto aos membros da diretoria, representantes de organizações parceiras e aos associados. Conclui-se que a Cooperativa Grande Sertão conseguiu articular os esforços de seus associados e as parcerias com diversas organizações que deram um importante impulso para o seu desenvolvimento. A organização também soube aproveitar as políticas públicas promovidas pelo governo. Dessa forma, foram identificadas as principais estratégias utilizadas para o acesso aos mercados e também se evidenciam algumas fragilidades que podem comprometer seu desenvolvimento futuro.
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Keisling, Kathryn E. "Fairtrade Ground Up: Profit and Power in the Certification System from the Perspective of Coffee Farmers in La Convención Valley, Peru." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2015. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/711.
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While the movement for fair trading practices in the world market dates back to the 1940s, the labeling and certification initiative “Fairtrade” has existed for about 25 years. My thesis is based on independent research I conducted in November 2013 in La Convención Valley, Peru. Through in-depth interviews with fifteen small farmers and several cooperative officials at La Central de Cooperativas Agrarias Cafetaleras (COCLA), I examine the discrepancies between what Fairtrade’s claims and what farmers themselves perceive to be the benefits and failures of the certification system. I argue that while in theory farmers receive a competitive price for their Fairtrade coffee, in reality this price is subject to many deductions at the cooperative level such that many certified farmers express little understanding of their role in Fairtrade. Additionally, claims of corruption within the cooperative point to deeply entrenched local hierarchies of power. Comparing La Convencion’s history of exploitative feudal systems to present-day complaints of farmers – that the majority of money remains in the hands of cooperative officials, who limit farmers’ access to important market information and flaunt a higher quality of life – suggests that Fairtrade is actually reproducing harmful conditions of the past. I conclude that Fairtrade certification fails to empower farmers to escape local hierarchies of power and the exploitative conditions of the capitalist neoliberal world market. Making global trade truly fair requires an emphasis on an alternative international economic world order that holds consumers more accountable and places more value on the lives and experiences of producers.
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Matías, González Alberto. "Cultura campesina, cambio técnico y medio ambiente en el consejo popular "Cuatro Esquina" de Santa Lucía." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Girona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/398989.
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The research subject comes as a result of the need to implement sustainable practices in agriculture, in order to confront the environmental deterioration. The research aspires to explain the relation between peasant culture, technical change and environment in peasant cooperatives of credit and service belonging to the Popular Council Cuatro Esquinas of Saint Lucia, information combines quantitative and qualitative techniques. As a result, a characterization of the cultural factors that accompanied the technical change highlighting its influences in the environmental evolution of the studied communities during the past forty years was obtained. The problems of the peasant agriculture in Cuba have been studied from different scientific disciplines, with very varied objects, but this is one of the first studies focused on how the culture has influence on the technical decisions of the farmers and the environment<br>El tema de la investigación surge como resultado de la necesidad de lograr prácticas sostenibles en la agricultura campesina, como vía para enfrentar el deterioro ambiental. Se persigue explicar la relación entre cultura campesina, cambio técnico y medio ambiente en cooperativas campesinas de crédito y servicio pertenecientes al Consejo Popular Cuatro Esquinas de Santa Lucia, del municipio de Cabaiguán, Cuba. La metodología utilizada para recoger información combina técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas. Como resultado se obtuvo una caracterización de los factores culturales que acompañaron el cambio técnico, destacando sus influencias en la evolución ambiental de las comunidades estudiadas durante los últimos 40 años. La problemática de la agricultura campesina en Cuba ha sido estudiada desde diferentes disciplinas científicas, con muy variados objetos, pero este es uno de los primeros estudios enfocados en cómo la cultura influye en las decisiones técnicas de los agricultores y a su vez en el medio ambiente
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Spånning, Anna C. "Towards Institutional Stabilization and Development? : A Study of Inter-Organizational Cooperation in the Tajik Cotton Industry." Doctoral thesis, Karlstads universitet, Avdelningen för politiska och historiska studier, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-4892.
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Close to two decades after the break-up of the Soviet Union, there is still a marked difference in developmental paths, including institutional as well as economic development and performance among the states emerging from the ruins of the vast empire. Turning attention to the least successful post-Soviet region, Central Asia, and Tajikistan in particular, this thesis provides a contribution to the discussion of how to institutionalize social power and build the foundations for political community in post-colonial societies. It is argued here that increased institutional stability may be achieved through inter-organizational cooperation among main actors within an institutional setting. Through the dispersion of intra- and inter-organizational effects of cooperation beyond the action situations where they are produced, several goals may be achieved. These are increased predictability, transparency and durability in governance, a more equitable distribution of wealth, and (in relation to the kinship-foundation of Tajik society) the embracing of kin-divisions in society. The study examines how and why organizations decide to get involved in cooperative collective activities within the Tajik cotton industry, an industry infamous for its unscrupulous financing schemes to which local investors tie farmers; schemes lacking business ethics and the interconnection of the social and economic with political relations. The study, through an embedded case study of one project (the Farmers’ Ownership Model), also examines the institutional implications of inter-organizational collective activities. The study’s empirical base is a combination of data derived from literature, reports, reviews of official documents, as well as from interviews and an expert survey conducted among organizational representatives with expert knowledge on the Tajik cotton industry. The results suggest that it is possible to divide the forms of cooperation into three broad categories; business based cooperation, development and support-based cooperation and unilateral cooperative activity. The latter category contains interactions based on helping as well as on coercion. The motives for cooperating follow the same divisions, with profit and position-related motives dominating business-based cooperation. Development and support-based cooperation are primarily motivated by non-profit factors, such as community-(re)building and knowledge enhancement, as well as position-related motives. Within the group of unilateral interactions, the same divisions valid for business-based cooperation (unilateral cooperative activity based on coercion) and development and support-based cooperation (unilateral cooperative activity based on helping) are found. The actors approached for this study confirm that the institutional setting is “difficult” and that the social and political climate is not supportive of inter-organizational cooperative collective activities. Despite this, the actors agree that the time is right for cooperative efforts. The implications of inter-organizational cooperative collective activities within the frameworks of the examined Farmers’ Ownership Model project are many and important from a stabilizing perspective. Numerous strategic effects have been identified, among which is the creation of the first open farmer-owned joint stock company in the country, providing crop financing, high quality input, and technical assistance to the farmers in the northern Sugd region. This is the most tangible effect, as is legislative change related to the marketing of cotton. The learning and knowledge-creation effects as a result of inter-organizational interactions within the project are also substantial. Client as well as non-client farmers have, through the technical assistance provided through the project company, managed to improve awareness in terms of their legal status. In addition, the technical assistance component of the project has served to improve productivity and the quality of the cotton grown. Despite indications of attitudinal changes within the action situations examined, there is no clear-cut evidence of trust effects at the institutional level. The results of empirical examination of the Tajik cotton industry to a large extent support the central thesis of the study.
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Viscarra, Hansson Braulio Johan, and Johannes Malmqvist. "International Development Cooperation and Climate Change Adaptation in Kuyoj Qhocha, Bolivia - A Case Study of Resilience and Vulnerability Among Small-Scale Farmers." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22156.
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I Bolivia bedrivs ett jordbruksprogram vid namn PROAGRO (Programa de Desarrollo Agropecuario Sostenible), genom ett trilateralt samarbete mellan Bolivia, Tyskland och Sverige. Syftet med programmet är att öka resiliensen bland småskaliga jordbrukare mot klimatrisker, förbättra deras förvaltning av vattenresurser och lokala avrinningsområden samt skapa ökad hållbar avkastning från deras jordbruksproduktion. Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka hur PROAGROs personal, småskaliga jordbrukare och andra aktörer, upplever att klimatförändringarna påverkar lantbrukarnas levebröd. Vidare syftar uppsatsen att undersöka om lantbrukarnas resiliens mot klimatrisker ökar till följd av de insatser som genomförs av PROAGRO. Undersökningen har avgränsats och fokuserar på ett specifikt avrinningsområde vid namn Kuyoj Qhocha. Undersökningen baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med lantbrukare, personal från svenska och tyska biståndsorgan samt med lokala myndighetspersoner. Den insamlade empirin jämförs i uppsatsen med tidigare forskning och teorier relaterade till resiliens, klimatförändringar och anpassning. Resultaten av studien visar att lantbrukarna i Kuyoj Qhocha upplever variationer i klimatet, som förändrade regn- och värmecykler, vilka påverkar dem både positivt: exempelvis genom uppkomsten av nya odlingsmöjligheter och negativt: exempelvis på grund av förstörda odlingar tillföljd av torka. Deras resiliens ökar successivt, främst på grund av användandet av vattenskörds tekniker men också på grund av andra integrerade lösningar som diversifieringen av grödor och inkomster, pedagogiska verkstäder, och genom att hjälpa lantbrukarna att ansöka om ekonomiskt bistånd hos regeringen för förverkligandet av jordbruksutvecklande projekt.<br>In the small basin Kuyoj Qhocha, in Bolivia, an agriculture program named PROAGRO (Programa de Desarrollo Agropecuario Sostenible, Sustainable Agricultural Development Program) is being conducted. The program is carried out by a trilateral cooperation between Bolivia, Germany and Sweden and its main objectives are to increase resilience to climate risks among small-scale farmers, improve their management of water resources and local watersheds and generate increased and sustainable returns from their agricultural production. This essay aims to respond on how Kuyoj Qhocha‟s small-scale farmers and other actors involved in PROAGRO perceive that climate change is affecting the farmers‟ livelihood. It also aims to investigate if the farmers and the other actors recognize that the farmers‟ resilience to climate risks is increasing as a result of the efforts made through PROAGRO. The investigation has been made through qualitative interviews with farmers, personnel from international cooperation agencies and with officials at the local municipality. The investigation is compared with earlier research concerning climate change adaptation and social resilience. The study shows that farmers of the region are experiencing variations in climate, such as altered rain and heat cycles, affecting them both negatively: for example through destroyed plantations due to droughts, and positively: for example by the possibility to cultivate new crops. Their resilience against climate risks is gradually increasing mainly because of the usage of water harvest technologies but also through several integrated solutions such as the exploit of beneficial opportunities through the diversification of crops and income, by educational workshops and by assisting the farmers to apply for economic support from the government.