IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/jasjnl/v13y2024i5p161.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Group Cohesion for Enhanced Operation of Agricultural Community-Based Projects in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • B. Taruvinga
  • P. Ndou
  • C. P. du Plooy
  • K. Mphafi
  • I. N. Hlerema
  • R. Seturumane

Abstract

Collective operation of smallholder farmers and cooperatives has been attributed to many mishaps and malfunctions. Such knowledge creates misperceptions regarding agricultural cooperatives and their usefulness in development. This study investigated member commitment, group cohesion and membership retention in agricultural production cooperatives. The main aim was to identify possible practical measures for enhanced performance and increased sustainability in farmer organizations. Data was collected from 92 participants that were currently operating as cooperative members. A combination of descriptive statistics, Perceived Cohesion (PC) and Binary Logistic Regression methods were employed for analysis. Results of the study indicate that group cohesion is influenced by trust among members, internal communication, financial performance of the cooperative, involvement of members in decision making, and role of the organization in the community. Strategies for increased group cohesion that were recommended in the study include information sharing and transparency at all levels of operation, and collective decision making and planning in organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • B. Taruvinga & P. Ndou & C. P. du Plooy & K. Mphafi & I. N. Hlerema & R. Seturumane, 2024. "Group Cohesion for Enhanced Operation of Agricultural Community-Based Projects in Gauteng Province, South Africa," Journal of Agricultural Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(5), pages 161-161, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:ibn:jasjnl:v:13:y:2024:i:5:p:161
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jas/article/download/0/0/45085/47760
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jas/article/view/0/45085
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barraud-Didier, Valérie & Henninger, Marie-Christine & El Akremi, Assâad, 2012. "The Relationship Between Members’ Trust and Participation in the Governance of Cooperatives: The Role of Organizational Commitment," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, February.
    2. Ito, Junichi & Bao, Zongshun & Su, Qun, 2012. "Distributional effects of agricultural cooperatives in China: Exclusion of smallholders and potential gains on participation," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 700-709.
    3. Kindie GETNET & Tsegaye ANULLO, 2012. "Agricultural Cooperatives And Rural Livelihoods: Evidence From Ethiopia," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(2), pages 181-198, June.
    4. Bridget Taruvinga & Portia Ndou & Igenecious Nicholas Hlerema & Thetshelesani Lesly Maraganedzha & Christian Philippus Du Plooy & Sonja Venter, 2017. "Fostering linking social capital for successful agricultural development projects in South Africa," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 28-39, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guyo Godana Dureti & Martin Paul Jr. Tabe‐Ojong & Enoch Owusu‐Sekyere, 2023. "The new normal? Cluster farming and smallholder commercialization in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 54(6), pages 900-920, November.
    2. Jasper GRASHUIS & Ye SU, 2019. "A Review Of The Empirical Literature On Farmer Cooperatives: Performance, Ownership And Governance, Finance, And Member Attitude," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 90(1), pages 77-102, March.
    3. Abebayehu Girma Geffersa, 2024. "Does cooperative membership enhance inorganic fertilizer use intensity? Panel data evidence from maize farmers in Ethiopia," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(2), pages 327-361, June.
    4. Yi Qu & Jing Zhang & Zhenning Wang & Xinning Ma & Guangcheng Wei & Xiangzhi Kong, 2023. "The Future of Agriculture: Obstacles and Improvement Measures for Chinese Cooperatives to Achieve Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Musa Hasen Ahmed & Hiwot Mekonnen Mesfin, 2017. "The impact of agricultural cooperatives membership on the wellbeing of smallholder farmers: empirical evidence from eastern Ethiopia," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-20, December.
    6. Lei Wu & Chuanjian Li & Yang Gao, 2022. "Regional agricultural cooperatives and subjective wellbeing of rural households in China," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(S2), pages 138-158, November.
    7. Liyan Yu & Jerker Nilsson & Feng Zhan & Song Cheng, 2023. "Social Capital in Cooperative Memberships and Farmers’ Access to Bank Credit–Evidence from Fujian, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Kuhle Prudence Mnisi & Abdul Latif Alhassan, 2021. "Financial structure and cooperative efficiency: A pecking‐order evidence from sugarcane farmers in Eswatini," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(2), pages 261-281, June.
    9. Aristotelis Batzios & Achilleas Kontogeorgos & Fotios Chatzitheodoridis & Panagiota Sergaki, 2021. "What Makes Producers Participate in Marketing Cooperatives? The Northern Greece Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    10. Meiyuan Wang & Bin He & Jinsong Zhang & Yanan Jin, 2021. "Analysis of the Effect of Cooperatives on Increasing Farmers’ Income from the Perspective of Industry Prosperity Based on the PSM Empirical Study in Shennongjia Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Sjauw-Koen-Fa, August R. & Blok, Vincent & Omta, S.W.F. (Onno), 2016. "Critical Success Factors for Smallholder Inclusion in High Value-Adding Supply Chains by Food & Agribusiness Multinational Enterprise," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(1), pages 1-30, February.
    12. Chao Zhang & Ruifa Hu, 2022. "Adoption of Direct Seeding, Yield and Fertilizer Use in Rice Production: Empirical Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-15, September.
    13. Nilsson, Jerker & Helgesson, Matilda & Rommel, Jens & Svensson, Ellinor, 2020. "Forest-owner support for their cooperative's provision of public goods," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    14. Dinesh Dhakal & David O’Brien & Peter Mueser, 2021. "Government Policy and Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives: A Case Study in Chitwan District, Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Hao, Jinghui & Heerink, Nico & Heijman, Wim & Bijman, Jos, 2017. "Cooperatives Membership And Smallholder Farmers’ Welfare - Evidence From Shaanxi And Shandong Provinces, China," 2017 International Congress, August 28-September 1, 2017, Parma, Italy 260914, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Briones, Roehlano M., 2015. "Small Farmers in High-Value Chains: Binding or Relaxing Constraints to Inclusive Growth?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 43-52.
    17. Wanglin Ma & Hongyun Zheng & Amaka Nnaji, 2023. "Cooperative membership and adoption of green pest control practices: Insights from rice farmers," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(3), pages 459-479, July.
    18. Woldeyohanes Tena Gizaw & Professor Niu xiongying, 2021. "Farmers’ Cooperative Members’ Perception on Agency Problems and Its Impact on their Satisfaction in Ethiopia: The Moderating Role of members’ Participation on Cooperative Governance," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(7), pages 186-214.
    19. Valérie Barraud-Didier & Marie-Christine Henninger & Pierre Triboulet, 2014. "La Participation des Adhérents Dans Leurs Coopératives Agricoles: Une Étude Exploratoire du Secteur Céréalier Français," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 62(1), pages 125-148, March.
    20. Tina L. Saitone & Richard J. Sexton & Benoît Malan, 2018. "Price premiums, payment delays, and default risk: understanding developing country farmers’ decisions to market through a cooperative or a private trader," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(3), pages 363-380, May.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:jasjnl:v:13:y:2024:i:5:p:161. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.