Assessment and Impact of Farmers’ Cooperative Societies on Agricultural Productivity and Livelihood in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State

Abstract

This study assessed the structure and impact of Farmers’ Co-operative Societies (FCS) on agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Driven by the persistent challenges of fragmented land holdings and poor market access, the research utilized a descriptive survey design. A sample of 132 members was drawn from 7 functional cooperatives across four districts (Ugbokpo, Oga, Edikwu II, and Igoro) using the Yamane formula and purposive random sampling. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean). Findings revealed that cooperatives in Apa LGA possess a strong, democratic organizational structure with a high level of formalization = 4.47 for clear structure. Regarding impact, the results indicated significant positive effects on access to farm inputs = 3.85, adoption of improved techniques = 3.80, and overall household income = 4.05$). However, a critical gap was identified in market access, which was the only metric rejected by respondents = 2.23. The study concludes that while FCS in Apa LGA are highly effective as production support units, they fail as marketing intermediaries. It is recommended that cooperatives shift focus toward collective marketing and value-addition strategies to ensure that increased productivity translates into maximum economic gain for rural households.