An Assessment Of Farmers Cooperatives Contribution To Its Members Household Projects In Rwanda A Case Of Irebero Cooperative, Nyamasheke District

Abstract

This research focused on trying to assess the contribution of the farmers’ cooperatives in supporting its members’ household projects thus helping in improving their welfare. In the first chapter of this study is the background that covers the problem that triggered the need to carry out this study. This chapter covers the purpose of this study as well as the specific objectives and the research questions that provided guidance and focus. It covers the significance of the study, its limitations and the scope to be covered. The second chapter of this study contains the literature review. Under it, the researcher elaborates on what a cooperatives is, its origin, types of cooperatives, cooperatives in Africa and Rwanda in particular, opportunities for cooperatives in Rwanda. In the same chapter, the researcher brings up the theories, arguments and findings by different authors and authorities on cooperatives regarding the services they offers to the members and their individual household projects, the relationship between the farmers’ cooperatives and its members’ household ow ned project as well as the priority projects supported by cooperatives and why. In the same chapter the researcher covers also covers some the cooperative potential, limitations, constraints and pre-conditions necessary for the cooperatives to be able to support its members’ household projects. Again in the same chapter, the researcher makes a critical review and identifies gaps that hinder cooperatives from reaching its objective of serving its members effectively. In the third chapter the study design covers the study design, the target population, and the sampling and sample size. It covers the data collection and how it was processed including issues of validity and reliability, ethical considerations and lastly how the collected data will be analyzed. . In chapter four there is the findings and interpretation from the study which was conducted in the field. Last but not least is chapter five under which there is the summary of the findings, the conclusion and recommendations for improvement and suggestions for future studies.