Assessment of Cooperatives in the Poultry Industry - 2013.pdf - Seda

Research Report: Addressing the Needs, Opportunities and Challenges of Cooperatives
and Collectively Owned Enterprises in the Poultry and Related Industries
yet did not request assistance in bargaining for discounts on inputs. This illustrates that the table
above should be understood within the context of the perspectives of cooperatives as a whole in
relation to the rest of their responses.
Financial management was highlighted above
as one of the key concerns for cooperatives. It
therefore follows that cooperatives would
prefer more training in this area. Figure 4-9
below illustrates which skills cooperatives
would like to obtain for their members.
Financial management is indicated as the area
that most cooperatives mentioned wanting
further training.
Cooperative managers who
have not received proper
business training are unlikely to
understand the need for project
management skills and
marketing skills despite
challenges in managing
members and in obtaining new
customers
In Table 4-3, above, technical skills were rated relatively highly. Based on this it is surprising that 24%
of responses indicated a desire to improve their technical skills. A total of 14 cooperatives provided
this as a response, equating to 50% of cooperatives believing that their cooperative could benefit
from more training in technical skills. Therefore, although cooperatives are competent in their
technical skills at present, they are aware of the benefits of learning more in this area.
More cooperatives rated
their skills as ‘very good’
in technical skills than
any other skill category
Similarly, cooperatives see the benefit of financial
management and would like to gain more competence in
this skill. However, cooperatives do not necessarily consider
management, marketing and other skills as a necessity and
therefore do not value these skills accordingly. Some 16%
of responses on a question regarding the challenges faced
by cooperatives indicate that the cooperatives struggle in managing members and 12% that they
struggle with marketing skills. Cooperatives who have not received sufficient business training are
unlikely to understand the need for project management skills and marketing skills, despite
challenges in managing members and in obtaining new customers.
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