Agricultural Cooperatives’ Impact on its Members’ Socio-Economic Status: The Case of the Binhian ng Timog Kutabato Multi-Purpose Agricultural Cooperative

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the impact of membership to the Binhian ng Timog Kutabato Multi-Purpose Agricultural Cooperative to the socio-economic lives of its members. A descriptive-evaluative research design and data were gathered from N=80 cooperative members concerning their socio-economic profile, changes of family income and expenses of the households, changes of their conditions after the membership, participation in the cooperative's activities, and problems encountered. Results revealed that most members are males, aged 50 and above, married, college graduates, and own land located in the lowland which was acquired via inheritance. Membership to the cooperative has significance to the members in the form of increased mean income and reduced mean expenses. Most of the respondents have a much better acquisition of the new knowledge and skills, much better social status in the community and responsiveness to innovative schemes of development, and better access to marketing farm products. All attended the required pre-membership education seminar and majority attended seminars and trainings on values formation and technologies in farming. Lastly, among all the problems, members agree that they encountered poor management of the Cooperative, followed by poor knowledge in basic bookkeeping among members, among other problems which they see as low or negligible.