Enhancing Performance of Farmers’ Cooperative in Rice Innovation System in Enugu State, Nigeria

The state has witnessed proliferation of farmers’ cooperative; and while new ones are emerging in their numbers, some old ones are becoming less functional and others going into extinct The study examined factors for enhancing performance of rice farmers’ cooperative in rice innovation system. Seventy members of rice farmers’ cooperatives were selected using proportionate random sampling technique in a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected by use of structured interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistics, and principal component analysis. Results show that rice farmers’ cooperative existed mostly as multipurpose with average membership of 24 persons and mean age of 45years. Majority (74.5%) were males, married (88.6%) and literate (76.7%) with 22 years of experience in farming. Leadership constitution was by election, and membership restricted to rice farmers (85.7%), and farmers in related fields (78.6%). Members were obliged to monthly payment of dues, (100%), regular attendance to meetings (95.7%) and obedience to rules and regulations (70%). The cooperatives had linkages with credit institutions (M=3.9), non-governmental organizations (M= 3.0), Agricultural Development Programme/Ministry of Agriculture (M= 2.5) and others. However, the cooperatives were constrained by inadequate government support (M=3.6) poor institutional linkage (M= 3.5), poor market structure (M=3.3), poor membership commitment (M=2.5) and others. The respondents identified fund, linkage, training and leadership- related factors as pertinent for enhancing performance of rice farmers’ cooperative in rice innovation system. Thus, the study recommends that government and public extension agencies should support rice farmers’ cooperatives through training, provision of market/infrastructural facilities and favourable policy environment.Key Words: Farmers’ cooperative, innovation system, rural institutions, actors, rice