Can an innovation platform succeed as a cooperative society?: The story Of Bubaare innovation platform multipurpose cooperative society ltd

Linking small scale farmers to markets using value chain approaches has become an important component of many agricultural development interventions in developing countries. Traditional agricultural interventions primarily focus on farm productivity, to ensure food security among households, and their capacity to market the surplus. Agricultural cooperatives often target farmers who are already engaged in growing cash crops. Cooperatives ensure that farmers maintain access to critical farm inputs, market farm products, strengthen farmers’ bargaining power and improve income opportunities. However in Uganda there are problems that led to the near-collapse of the cooperative subsector. These problems include poor management, and political interference among others (Kwapong and Korugendo, 2010). IPs target a wide range of farmers; those that are still ensuring food security and those already participating in the market. There is therefore need for supporting IPs embracing cooperative societies’ approach to avoid similar pitfalls. Such support would entail IPs applying an enhanced cooperative society’s model to generate wider and more attractive benefits. This case study therefore shows how the registration of Bubaare IP as a cooperative society has opened market opportunities for its members. It also aims to identify the factors behind this success, the challenges it faces, and draws lessons for wider use by other IPs and the cooperative subsector in Uganda.

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315646817

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