A Study on Factors Affecting Farmers’ Cooperative Membership Increment in Bench Maji Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

The main objective of the study was to assess the factors that affect farmers’ Cooperative Membership increment in Bench Maji Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia. Bench Maji Zone is selected purposively, because of the availability of required data in agricultural cooperatives for the study. In the study area there are a total of 134 agricultural cooperatives. From the total agricultural cooperatives found in the Zone, 18 cooperatives having a life span of 8 years and above from their time of establishment were selected as sample frame of the study, because considering longer life span cooperatives as a sample frame enables to assess factors that affect farmers’ Cooperative Membership increment. In order to conduct the study in a representative way that increases its reliability and validity, a two staged random sampling technique was employed in selecting 135 samples using proportionate simple random sampling method. Both primary and secondary data were collected for this study. Semi-structured interview schedule was used to generate primary data from sample respondents. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentage, and tested by using chi-square and T- test. Moreover, Binary Logistic regression model was also used for the analysis of the data. The result of the study confirmed that farmers’ cooperative Membership growth in agricultural cooperatives has been constrained by lack of cooperative extension service, awareness problem, and embezzlement of cooperative assets, inaccessibility of transport and problem of access to media. The logistic regression analysis result also shows that age, awareness level of respondents on cooperatives, promoters support, access to credit facility, attitude of respondents towards cooperatives, training and education were found statistically significant in influencing the farmers’ Cooperative Membership in the study area. As a recommendation, the concerned bodies should give emphasis on farmers Cooperative Membership in the study area. Keywords: Farmers, Cooperative Membership and Agricultural cooperatives