MOBILIZATION OF RURAL FARMERS THROUGH COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN ENUGU STATE
(A CASE STUDY OF NSUKKA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA)
ABSTRACT
Cooperative is an association of persons with common goals and their main objective is to promote the society to achieve the aim and objectives, members must have the same interest. And it is through cooperative that the rural farmers are mobilized. Mobilization in this context simply means gathering of people together in order to achieve specific goals or interest. In Nsukka local government area of Enugu State which was case study.  Rural farmers are mobilized through supporting and organizing an agricultural programme which helped in reducing illiteracy, among the members of the cooperative.  Extension services are being rendered to them through sending extension officers who inspect and audit all the books of the secretary of the cooperative society.  The government supports the cooperative by given them loans, grants and finds etc which will help the cooperative in solving most of their problems.  And cooperative by given them loans grants and finds etc which will help the cooperative in solving most of the problems.  And cooperative gives loans to their members to pay back easily.  During mobilization, locality but also severally in Nigeria through increasing the economic sector of the society through cooperatives.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER   ONE
1.0    INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the Study
1.2    Statement of the Problem
1.3    Objective of the Study
1.4    Research Questions
1.5    Significant of the Study
1.6    Scope and Delimitation of Study
1.7    Definition of the Term
CHAPTER   TWO
2.0    REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
CHAPTER THREE
3.0    Research Design and Methodology
3.1    Research Design
3.2    Area of Study
3.3    Population of the Study
3.4    Sample Size
3.5    Sources of Data
3.6    Method of Data Collection
3.7    Administration of Instrument
3.8    Method of Data Analysis
3.9    Test of Hypothesis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0    Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
4.1    Presentation of Data
4.2    Analysis of Data
4.3    Interpretation of Data
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0    Summary of Findings, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1    Summary of Findings
5.2    Conclusion
5.3    Recommendation
Reference
CHAPTER ONE
1.0       INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the Study
Cooperative started in eighteen centuries, in Britain, as a result of the industrial revolution which caused great hardship for those who lost their job and also due to the evil capitalism.
        According to Bob-igwe (2006:16), capitalism means the socio-economics system with the following relations of production. It is a system divided into exploiters of exploited in which the exploiters namely the capitalist: own the means of production that is means production, which means of life in the form of venture capital and property.
        During this period, people begin to search for remedies to stop the evil of capitalism. It was in this period that the following Robert Own came up with an ideal of organization the people, to stop the evil of capitalism and to promote the economic interest of the people through cooperative.
What is Cooperative?
The definition of cooperative was defined by the (ICA) international Cooperative Alliance (1995), according Onoh (2009:15), as an autonomous association of person(s), united voluntarily to met their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspiration through a jointly owned and democratically body which means they are free from government and external bodies.  The members of the cooperative society join voluntarily, it is an association of person, not of capital and their objective is to meet their member’s needs in the economic circle.
What is Mobilization
Mobilization means gathering of people together, to work, in order to achieve a particular goal or aims.  Before mobilization system can be successful, the people involved must have the same common interest.  It can be seen as a way helping people in achieving their actualized dreams. It is important to mobilize their actualized dreams. It is important to mobilize people because it encourages people towards achieving their specific goals.
        Therefore, mobilization in this context means gathering of rural farmers, towards achieving their aims or goals.  And during this mobilization, the rural farmers are educated and developed in the field.
How can Cooperative Mobilize the Rural Farmers
The cooperative can mobilize the rural farmers through organizing an agricultural or supporting programmes which helps in reducing illiteracy among the rural farmers and also develop their knowledge in agricultural activities.  And the program, are some of supporting programmes that helps in developing the rural farmers and they are Fadama Development project (FDPs), Rivers Basic and Rural Development Authorities (RBRSAs), Agricultural Development PRogramme (ADPs), National Agricultural Land Development Authorities (NALDA) etc.
        Since the rural farmers are faced with inadequate capital, the cooperative can mobilize them by giving them grants, loans, funds, and credit which the rural farmers can easily payback.  They should also provide them with Agro-chemical such as fertilizers, pesticides etc which helps them in improving their farm product and controlling of disease, and pest or insect.
        The cooperative acting as a link between the rural farmers and the government should represent the rural farmers well by presenting their problems and also sought for support from the government on behalf of the rural farmers they should also make it possible for the government to support the programme of the rural farmers through finances and any other means.
        The cooperative society can mobilize the rural farmers through sending extensional officers to them, to educate the supervise all their activities.  Extensional officers such as auditors, inspectors, arbitrator etc to oversee al the affaires of the rural farmers.
Who are Rural Farmers
Rural farmers are those farmers who practice agricultural activities in their village sector rural area.  They are not expert and they lack government support.
These farmers of their finance in running the affairs of their farm, they are note educated.
Functions of the Rural Farmers
1.   The rural farmers practices agricultural activities like cultivating of crops, veering of animals, fishery etc.
2.   The rural farmers are mainly based on subsistence farming system.
3.   Some of the rural farmers who are based on cultivation to tubers have barns where their tuber products are spread.  Tubers like yams, cocoyam etc
4.   In most rural areas, the time of farming and harvesting are periodic.  For instance, in my hometown, we have time when all the farmers go and harvest their cassava products and apart from that day, no farmer is allowed to enter into his farm.
5.   The rural farmers practices farm activities annually and especially during running season.
1.2    Statement of the Problem
Before the arrival of the cooperative, the rural farmers has being facing some problems which affected their agricultural activities.  
Lack of Capital:  The rural farmers do not have enough capital in financing and running the activities of their farm.
1.   High Level of Illiteracy: The rural farmers are illiterates, no education, no advise from expert, so because of this, the farm system are low and poor.
2.   Inadequate Infrastructural Facilities: The rural farmers do not have good roads, hospital and educational centres which actually affect the farming activities.
3.   Lack of Government Support: The rural farmers do not receive any encouragement and support from the government.
4.   Lack of Tools: Most rural farmers does not have capital in order to purchase the farm tools and machineries.  Thereby they lack most tools and it affect their farming system.
1.3    Objectives of the Study
The broad objectives of the project is to determine how the rural farmers could be mobilize through the cooperative in Nsukka LGA of Enugu.
The specific objectives are to:
1.   How can the impact of the rural farmers be examined?
2.   In what ways can be rural farmers be educated?
3.   How can the cooperative serve as a link between the government and the rural farmers.
4.   What are the problems facing the rural farmers.
5.   What are the possible solutions to these problems?
1.5    Significance of the study
1.     This project will be of a great advantage to the students for more research on this topic.
2.     It will help the government in making policy for cooperative and rural farmers.
3.     It will help the rural farmers in maintaining good relationship with the cooperative.
4.     It will help the cooperative in putting more effort and make policy towards the mobilization of rural farmers.
5.     This project work will help Nigerians in looking into the development of the rural farmers and rural areas.
1.7    Definition of Terms
1.      Mobilization: Mobilization in the context means gathering of rural farmers in order to achieve their common goals.
2.      Farm Products: They are those things produce by rural farmers after harvesting.
3.      Rural Farmers: Rural farmers are those farmers that practice agricultural activities in a rural area.