Contribution of Agricultural Marketing Co-operatives towards Promoting Inclusive Economic Development through Leaving No One behind Agenda

Abstract

Promoting and accelerating sustainable inclusive economic development is necessary and sufficient condition towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inclusiveness is the concept that encompasses equity, equality of opportunity, and protection. The global co-operative movement has been regarded as among the mechanism towards promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development as they encompass potential contributions to sustainable human development and combating social exclusion. To attain inclusiveness, the co-operative movement adopted the leave no one behind (LNOB) agenda as enshrined by International Co-operative alliance (ICA). However, since its adoption there is lack of clarity on what exactly LNOB it meant and what implication it has towards promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development through co-operative movement. Against this background, this research bridged this gap by analysing the practice of the LNOB agenda and its contribution towards promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development. Findings were collected from 102 members of highly performing co-operative society (Mamsera) in Rombo district by adopting cross-sectional survey approach. Data were collected by using questionnaire and key informant interview. Majority (96.1%) of the respondents pointed out that there is a positive contribution of co-operatives towards promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development. Nine contributions were revealed; eradicating poverty (81.4%), enhancing and promoting mutual equity and equality (76.5%), capacity of tapping technical, financial and other support from government and development stakeholders (61.8%), mutual capacity of financial deepening and inclusion agreed (92.2%), creating an enabling environment for self-employment creation (85.3%), enhancement of agricultural and non-agricultural productivity (95.1%), ability to reduce cost or enhance economies of scale (76.5%), creating an enabling environment for saving and investment culture (79.4%) and through the practice of the concern for community roles (99.0%).Despite of the contributions co-operatives experience several hurdles towards implementing their roles. The study concluded that co-operatives have very significant contributions towards ensuring attainment of LNOB as well as promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development. It is recommended that co-operatives and supporting institutions to increase their efforts towards ensuring attainment of LNOB agenda through co- operative movement. It is also recommended that the co-operatives and their supporting institutions to have a mutual view, understating, agreement and commitment towards promoting and accelerating inclusive economic development.