A policy note on agricultural cooperatives in Africa.

Published online
24 Aug 2016
Content type
Bulletin
URL
https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/69554/Gender_and_FTA_value_chain_in_LAM_2015_%282%29.pdf

Author(s)
Francesconi, N. & Cook, M. & Livingston, K.
Contact email(s)
g.n.francesconi@cgiar.org

Publication language
English
Location
Africa

Abstract

This note demonstrates the validity and applicability of the "Cooperative Life Cycle Framework," developed by the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership, University of Missouri (GICLMU), to explain "side-selling" and related organizational design and property rights problems (ODPR), which often render it difficult for African agricultural cooperatives to sustain their collective activities over time, in spite of the substantial economic incentives received through development interventions. Further, the note emphasizes the usability of the framework to: (i) advise policymakers on how to adjust legal frameworks and be more selective in the allocation of economic incentives, so as to promote the development of agri-coops designed to anticipate and evade ODPR problems and (ii) train and coach the leaders and managers of agri-coops on how to anticipate and evade ODPR problems.

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