AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES AND FARMERS PRODUCTIVITY IN OGUTA LGA, IMO STATE.

This abstract provides a concise overview of the research, focusing on the socio-economic impact of collective action within the specific geographic context of Imo State. Abstract This study examines the impact of agricultural cooperatives on farmer productivity in Oguta Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria. Despite the region's rich agricultural potential, smallholder farmers often face challenges including limited access to credit, high costs of inputs, and fragmented market structures. The central objective of this research is to evaluate how membership in cooperative societies influences the adoption of modern farming techniques and overall crop yield. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, data were collected from cooperative and non-cooperative farmers across several autonomous communities in Oguta. The analytical framework utilized descriptive statistics and the probit regression model to determine the drivers of productivity. Findings indicate that farmers belonging to cooperatives enjoy significantly better access to subsidized fertilizers, improved seed varieties, and low-interest credit facilities compared to their independent counterparts. The results reveal a positive correlation between cooperative membership and increased output per hectare, suggesting that collective bargaining power effectively mitigates the constraints of the rural economy. However, issues such as poor infrastructure and administrative bottlenecks within some societies persist. The study recommends that the Imo State Ministry of Agriculture should strengthen cooperative oversight and provide targeted extension services to maximize the food security potential of Oguta LGA