Examining the Level of Knowledge of Partners on Cooperatives and Cooperative-Partner Relations: The Case of Edirne Province Agricultural Development Cooperative and Irrigation Cooperative

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives are organizational structures that play an important role in the agricultural sector and offer many advantages to their members. Agricultural cooperatives have an important position in terms of the development of the agricultural sector and especially the survival of small producers. This study aims to examine the socio-economic characteristics, organizational knowledge level and the relationship between the cooperative and its members of the Agricultural Development Cooperative and Irrigation Cooperative in Edirne province. For this purpose, 165 surveys based on face-to-face interviews were conducted with cooperative members. The findings show that; the farmers are mostly middle-aged and primary school level, and the reasons for membership in cooperatives are shaped around economic benefits (benefiting from agricultural supports, product marketing, and supply of production input at affordable costs). The most important problems were determined as; lack of information, lack of leading farmers and distrust among producers. Among the solution suggestions, the selection of competent managers, provision of an environment of trust and strengthening of control mechanisms stand out. In addition, while the most widely known cooperative principle by farmers is "Voluntariness and openness to everyone", the least widely known cooperative principle is "Education, training and information". It is extremely important to intensify training and information activities to increase the sustainability of agricultural cooperatives in Turkey. Research findings can guide future studies addressing the structural and functional problems of agricultural cooperatives in Turkey.