Management Leadership Development in Agricultural Cooperative Business

Abstract

Nearly 65-75% o f the population in Asia-Pacific countries depends on agriculture. Income from farm products has been the main source of livelihood of the farmers. Farm practices and means are traditional. Application of methods and technology for farm management, crop protection, post-harvest, diversification o f cropping patterns, use of farm inputs, mechanisation of farming, farm guidance, farm production planning, have not yet been used extensively. Pressures on agricultural lands due to ever-increasing population, urbanisation and development of other non-farm infrastructures (housing estates, golf courses, holiday resorts, large hydro-electric projects, highways etc.) have been heavy. Organisation and management of farmers’ groups or associations has been weak. In the rural areas, agricultural cooperatives have been playing significant roles by way o f disbursement of farm credit, farm supplies, marketing and agro-processing. Although there are a large number of agricultural cooperatives, their main functions largely remain confined to the distribution of credit, fertilisers and procurement of farm products for national food stocks. Marketing, agro-processing, warehousing activities are still weak. Their services to the members are inadequate. Many of the agricultural cooperatives largely remain content with implementing some o f the government-sponsored programmes. Income by way o f commissions and service charges received by the cooperatives often form a major portion of their working capital.