Agricultural Cooperative Development

Book Review

PUAD 3223

Political & Social Dynamics of Rural Planning and Development

Submitted to:

Prof. Felicia, Rimando Escultura

Submitted by:

Deligos, Angeila G.
I. Context of the Book, Purpose and the Creation

Since the world is revolving with rapid changes in the society, more people, even
small and big businesses also the government and any other type of firm/s think
and find a lot of ways in order to survive the global and economic contention.
With these, they took a lot of time, risk and money to suffice first the need of the
community to which, is the beginning step to still remain in an ever-changing
sphere.

More countries badly need to adopt the elevation of the environment but with
less intervention coming from the government in order for the market to work
well. The book is all about how the cooperative being one of a kind of firm
becomes beneficial in building the community especially those in rural areas. To
which cooperative is necessary to have participation by those members and at the
same time the owner/s of the firms. Also by having a direct concern regarding the
issues they need to address in order to fulfill the need of the members or non-
members who are having a benefit coming from the cooperative.

Another is, the books purpose/s is/are for trainers who will work directly with
cooperative organizations and their members, or will train other trainers. To which
some of the ideas and proposals are of particular use for smaller cooperative
organizations or those organizations that are in the process of being formed. Also,
for any promotion to be effective it should be based on what the cooperative
members feel they need to know and what are the things they really need, rather
than attempting to pass on everything there is to know about a particular subject.

The Secondary purpose of the creation of the book is to broaden the trainer’s
perspective of their role and to boost their competitiveness.

The Third one is, to help them to become effective moderators or facilitators.

Fourth is, in order for the trainer to have a tool as a resource person.

Fifth, to familiarize the trainer with participatory techniques to which the concern
is all about the cooperative in building better rural areas.
Lastly, in order for this manual to serve as a support to the trainers in the various
tasks in raising awareness among cooperative promoters, members, decision-
makers, leaders and managers of their problems/ constraints as well as to their
potential/capabilities.

But on the other hand it is not only, that this manual will serve as a guide for the
trainers but also the book is all about on what is a cooperative, its seven values
and principle, the conditions needed to create this, the essential conditions for
continued success of cooperative organizations, the role of government and
external assistance in promoting this and the development of cooperatives from
other self - help organization.

Also, the book is about on forming marketing cooperative to which consists of

forming and organizing, mains steps in forming marketing cooperative, contents
of the cooperative statutes or bylaws and the organs of the cooperative. Then,
about the Participation, learning, training, and action in a cooperative, on what is
the meaning of participation, its typology in cooperative organizations,
constraints of participation and the key questions for assessing the participation
in cooperatives.

Another is/are the need for training, requirements for the trainer, participatory
learning, training content, the role of the trainer, planning and organizing training,
participatory training techniques, reactions to participatory methods, visual aids,
training with less educated or illiterate participants including the exercises.

But there’s more, the book content has a wide range of topics and learning but it
is still align within the cooperative which is very helpful for the rural community
building, such as the communication, its means, problems or barrier, example,
how to improve this, promoting effective communication in cooperative
organization, conducting meetings, dealing with conflicts in training sessions
(Internal Communications), the relationship between cooperatives and
governments, public relations and the cooperative image, negotiations and
contracts also including the exercises.
Then the organizational development, its definition, approaches to organizational
development the cooperative vision, norms and cooperative development, the
development of appropriate organizational structures, members representation
in organizational development, leadership structure, structures to enhance
management effectiveness, incentive development, cooperative group
development, maintaining motivation within the cooperative group, cooperative
enterprise development, training versus non training solutions including the tools
and checklist for facilitating cooperative organizational development.

Also, the book will give the readers more information about managing
cooperative group with developing leadership, meeting member’s needs, the free
rider effect, promotion of members economies, financial management, securing
finance, loan finance, information on finances, personnel management,
performance rating and reward systems, agricultural service cooperatives,
marketing, the costs of marketing, keeping marketing costs low, determining
prices and payments to members, supply management, functions of a supply
cooperative, storage of supplies and sales promotion, credit management,
controlling service performance, building partners from a position of strength,
determining factors for cooperative change in market economies, opportunities
for cooperative is developing agricultural markets, optimum size for a primary
cooperative, diversification, mergers, unions, and federations with the exercises.

Lastly, every reader of this book will be more motivated because of tools for
planning and organizing cooperative activities with the combination of
participatory appraisal, monitoring, and evaluation, and accounting to which it is
not only about the cooperative but also the scope of the topics or content of the
book is/are including those other field without going out of the box it only means
that in elevating the rural communities, there can be more knowledge and ways
to achieve every goal in every rural community in order for them to pace the
globalization and the rampant technological changes in the society.

(The book was created way back 1998 and reprinted in 2001 by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome Italy.)
II. Topics in the Book related to Political & Social Dynamics of Rural Planning and
Development

As a reader of the book and as the one who is making this review about the book,
here are the listed topic that is/are related to the subject Political and Social
Dynamics of Rural Planning and Development (Philippine Context):

1. The Seven Principles of Cooperative

2. Conditions Needed to Create a Cooperative
3. Essential Condition for Continued Success of Cooperative Organizations
4. The Role of Government and External Assistance in Promoting Cooperative
Organizations
5. The Development of Cooperative from other Self – Help Organizations

The First topic is about the Seven Principles of Cooperatives to which it contains,
voluntary and open membership which signifies that cooperative is a voluntary
organization where no one is/was being pushed to join the organizations. People
who will join the cooperative were able to utilize the services that the
organizations provided and they are willing to gain the responsibilities of being a
member without any aspect/s of stigma.

The second principle is The Democratic Member Control which means that this
organization was handled by the members who industriously engaging in making
rules and commitment. Where both men and women have the right to be elected
as representatives and have an obligation/s to the members and membership.

The third principle is the Member Economic Participation to which the members
where giving a contribution in order for the organization to have a bloodline and
run smoothly. Members in the cooperative only acquire a restricted amount of
payment for themselves but they are allocating surpluses such as enhancing
cooperative venture by arranging savings, part of which at least would be
indivisible where members will have benefits in tantamount to their affair with
the cooperative and helping any schemes accepted by the membership.

The fourth principle is the autonomy and independence to which the cooperative
is able to make or enter agreements with other organizations and governments or
to lift funds to an outside source but they are assuring that democratic control by
the members will still retain and will not be lost also their self - rule.

The fifth one is the education, training, and information to which the cooperative
is providing this thing to their members in order to have better contributions to
the organization and informing the public people about the benefits of the
cooperative.

The sixth principle is co-operation among cooperatives to which the organization

is serving its members in the most efficient way and elevating their trend through
local, national, regional, and even in international formation.

The Last one is the Concern for the community, to which they are working for
maintainable progress of their communities through policies approved by their
members. (Based on Agricultural Cooperative and Development)

As it is explained above the seven principles of cooperative here’s the catch of its
relevance to Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning and Development in
the Philippine context.

Of course, in order for the rural community to have something to lean on or will
have something to support their needs in times of crisis or not especially in the
Philippines, Agricultural cooperative was created in order to make every farmers
connected with each other to know not only what is needed for the community
but also on how the farmers like them will contribute not only to the community
but also to those outside of the premises. But first, in establishing an organization
commonly in this democratic country there should be steps or processes or
guidelines that they need to in order to avoid disturbance and failure of the plan.

First is that, the organization in order to be established is open for all and not
persuading someone to join since we are in a free country in order to avoid any
stigma which is very important in establishing a better or elevated rural
community which based on what I had remembered is one of the topics that we
have discussed before.
Second is that, in democratic member control it is very important for the rural
community who has a lot of agricultural farmers commonly in the Philippines to
which, farming is the number one source of income for Filipino family/es
especially those in rural areas than in cooperative, they are also the people who
will organize this and it is necessary that both men and women have the rights to
vote for their representative, or in every decision making process in order for
them to reach diversified organization of the farmers to make a real development
for the rural community.

Third is the member economic participation to which the member for having a
contribution has a limited amount of money back to them despite the rampant
poverty in their community but as a member of the organization willingness is the
key in order for the cooperative to still run efficiently and effectively despite the
small acquisition of money but as time goes by those leftovers they are able or
they can allocate in order to get more income not only for themselves but also for
the growth and positive changes in cooperative. Also, Filipinos who is/are known
for being resourceful will have a lot of ideas on how to make their money left
being able to use for the future.

Fourth is, the autonomy and independence to where the cooperative is able to
have linkages with other organizations either public or private in order for the
organization to grow and to meet the member or if possibly the non – members
needs in order for them to be still able to contribute to the cooperative and to
meet the satisfaction of the stakeholders. To which this way, it really matches the
amiable personality of Filipinos and their hospitality in engaging with other
people's side.

Fifth is the education, training and information which would be a very big help to
those illiterate members of the cooperative in order for them to have more
knowledge in engaging in this kind of organization and for them to have a clear
thoughts about their role in making the cooperative more effective and efficient
in satisfying the needs of the people also, for them to have a clear vision that a
better future awaits not only to those members who at the same time the owners
of the cooperative but also to those stakeholders who is/are dependent to the
services they will/would give and in order for the organization to spread not only
in a one or certain rural community but also to any other rural community who is
still not able to have a self- help for the cooperative or community.

Sixth is that, Cooperation among cooperatives is one of the essential things to be

considered in developing rural community/es, a certain organization or
cooperative will have more engagement not only to one or certain organization
but also to any other cooperative that might be enjoying a certain growth and is
known for satisfying the peoples need with this they are able to have this merger
or a joint of two organization or cooperatives as one but still maintaining the
democratic member controls to avoid any discrepancies which would be very
helpful to suffice peoples need in an immediate way or on time. As the Filipinos
love to have a good relationship with different people whether Filipino or not the
disadvantages here is that sometimes Filipinos tend to lose control over the
cooperative that's why there is/are some business being closed due to the
situation.

The Seventh is the concern for community to which the last in the principle but is
the number one goal of the cooperative on why the organization was made into
creation, as based on the one who reviews the book, the cooperative was created
to unite every single or big group of agricultural farmers in order to meet different
aspirations, needs and etc. in order for the cooperative to make these different
people with different goals to become linked with each other and united which is
also applicable to the country because as Philippine Island, the fact is that
distance become one of the struggle/s to reach the goal and solve the problem
immediately. With this, contact with each other even in far places will now be
easy because there is an organize cooperative or organization.

As the relevance of a certain topic in the book in the subject Political and Social
Dynamics in Rural Planning and Development in the Philippine context, the
cooperatives need to meet every different Filipinos aspiration, needs and if
possible their wants as long as it is necessary and included in the rational
thoughts in order for the rural community to rise but not to escape the poverty
but to solve and fill in what are the things lacking in every rural community with
this, cooperative will become more able to function not only for its members or
for the family but also in knowing that despite of the hardships that organization
have encountered and will encounter members are aware that something must
be coming back to them especially for the Philippines as one of the developing
countries in Asia. Yes, honestly at the start of establishing cooperative few money
will be received commonly here in the country to where farmers are less priority
of the state but when this seven principle is able to follow there is/are
possibilities that expectations will be meet or more than that.

The second topic relevant in the mentioned subject is the Conditions needed to
create a cooperative and what are those conditions?

Like what is commonly said development is a process wherein people are enabled
through collective planning and action to mobilize their resources and transform
institutions so that these authentically responsive. That’s why it is significant for
the cooperative to have certain fundamental conditions in order to establish it
well and to make sure that it will cater to the needs of the people within the rural
community.

The First one is, Share Common Problems. It is necessary for the cooperative to
distinguish the common problem in the rural community in order for them to
know when and where to solve the problem, in order for them on how they are
going to tackle every issue because some issues will be sensitive especially
Filipinos (Not all) were conservative and it might affect some or other member/s
who has the same problem and on what are the things they need to do in order
for them to adapt first in the situation and will enable them to move forward to
solve the problem. Also, this problem cannot be solved by only one person it
should be solve by group, as a cooperative or organization to collect certain
thoughts and ideas in order to organize the thing that will be the number one
thing to address a certain problem and to come up to another plan when the first
one was failed. It is matched in our country because Filipinos are commonly like
to share their problems with others for them to understand by others.

The Second one is, there is No Alternative to cooperative self – help because the
problem in the rural community is cannot be done easily from the family, social
institution or the state. It means that the capacity of a certain organization or
cooperative is now involving that's why in making a cooperative it is important
that there is an assurance that each member who at the same time the owner of
the organization is having a fair contribution to the cooperative in order to utilize
every product fairly and to make the contribution run that would help the
cooperative to function well and will satisfy the rural community needs. It is also
applicable in the Philippines since corruption is rampant to where taxpayers are
paying good of their taxes but some or other politician taking the money out and
keep inside their own pocket/s just like in cooperative some members will not
contribute and will have benefits and some will contribute but nothing to take
and receive.

The third one is, the advantages of membership outweigh the duties of
membership. To which access to goods, inputs, loans, services, markets and etc. is
open but the important thing here is that the member will be prioritized than non
– members to maintain the control of the member in the cooperative also the
contribution of the members resources that will be also their resources such as
money, time, land, equipment and etc. will serve much help to the members
family that will lessen the rural community/es problem since most of the rural
community/es is/was composed of farmers who built or who was established
their own cooperative in order for their community to have this self – help which
will engage them with each other to share commonalities when it comes to giving
satisfaction to the people.

The fourth one is, at least one person or two in the group or cooperative is/are
able to lead the organization for them to have a clear and straight path or
direction in achieving their objectives for the cooperative and for the rural
community. While if the one who holds the position was failed to do his or her job
due to some circumstances there is/are another one who will become substitute
in leading the group to the right path also it is important that the leader is reliable
and have a charisma to make the members follow to his or her decision which is
also based on the ideas of the cooperative and in order to execute the plan
effectively and to implement it efficiently to the rural community.
Last is, in electing cooperative leader/s there is/are no legal or political
restrictions it also including marketing their own goods, earn money and to create
their own discretion and the distribution of the surplus. It only means that despite
diverse relationships inside the cooperative members still have the right to make
a certain thing mentioned above. Since the Philippines is a democratic country
like what has been mentioned above it is also applicable to those cooperative
here in our country but of course, in every freedom, there is a responsibility so as
the members' freedom contains responsibility to make sure that they are not
abusing their rights stated above.

The third topic relevant to the Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning and
Development is the Essential Conditions for Continued Success of Cooperative
Organizations.

The First one is, the cooperative is necessary to make visible and tangible benefits
economically and socially for members in order to alter the costs in participating
cooperative in order to function as business institutions that enable to make
success in market competition (Based on Agricultural Cooperative and
Development book). This would only show the cooperative is not only an
autonomous self - help organization but is also able to deliver services not only to
the rural community but also beyond the premises to which will give way to the
cooperative to be known by other rural community and with that they will create
trust to those other rural community which will lead to the development of the
certain rural community that has cooperative within their place which will give
opportunity to mergers or joint of two different cooperatives or organization.

The Second one is, the situation above will only happen if there is a motivated,
experienced and dynamic manager, with this they enabling the cooperative to
function well because planning will be executed and implemented well if they
have these abilities mentioned above. To which based on what we have tackled in
the mentioned subject above, a brainy leader and not only the one who is needed
in the cooperative but also the one who has the capacity to do the job for the
cooperative, to be honest, to do the job for the sake of the rural community. It is
applicable in our country since people’s choice of leader is based on how long
they know about a certain person who is nominated to become representative.

Also, is it very important that the structure of the cooperative will be aligned in
the capability of its members because if not, the cooperative will not run
efficiently or maybe it will only create conflict in interest especially when the
other one has a vested interest to a certain dilemma or issue.

Lastly, it is badly needed that in a cooperative, members participate as both users

and owners. To which they have the rights in goal setting, decision making,
control or evaluation processes and about the services to be provided and the
benefits they will receive. Without participation, a lot of things in the cooperative
will be a lack or the worst scenario here is the organization will not be successful.
Each member will create a division to another member to create decisions
without thinking if it is for the good of the majority. Also, the rural community
and any other members will become involved without their knowledge about the
situation because their needs and priorities will not be achieved due to the
shortcomings of the cooperative. Since rural communities in the country are
having a people who live in the same town but the distance of the houses was so
far, it is, therefore, applicable and will improve Filipino people living in the rural
community/es in the Philippines.

This will only means that cooperative need those things mentioned above
especially to the Philippines and it is significant for the Filipino farmers to adjust
to the circumstances no matter what in order for them to stay well established, to
fulfill the needs of the members and to supply the needs and priorities of the
rural communities in order for them to transform the cooperative align to the
increasing demands of the rural community and also that will satisfy their needs
not only as a members of the organization but also as the one who is inside the
rural community to where the cooperative or organization was built.

With the mentioned things or circumstances above if this will be able to achieve
in the proper manner (Based on the Political and Social Dynamics in Rural
Planning and Development) there are three things that have been given an
assurance or consideration here. First, participation is surely having been used as
a number one thing that made the cooperative well established and is functioning
good or better. Second, the capacity is already been reliable because the
cooperative after functioning good or better it gives satisfaction not only to the
members but also to the people or stakeholders in the rural community. Third,
after the cooperative functioning in a good or better way, it gives satisfaction and
now it is ensuring the welfare of the members and also the welfare of the whole
people in rural community by creating a well establish plan, by delegating the
task/s to each members, by checking the task/s if it is well done and well
executed and implemented also, if it is giving the right need/s to the stakeholder
of the rural community commonly in our country Philippines. With these three
mentioned, illustration was shown below.

Participation

Welfare Capacity
A cer

Another relevant topic in the book to the mentioned subject is the Role of
Government and External Assistance in Promoting cooperative organizations. Like
what we have tackled in Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning and
Development in Philippine Context, a certain organization or for example the
cooperative cannot be function well if it is without the legalities coming from the
government since business here in our country either small or big mandated to
follow the rules and regulations, it will not legally distribute its goods to the
members and to the rural community and to others without the general
framework conditions needed to be provided by the state. But it does not mean
that the government will intervene in the whole function of the cooperative, it
means that there is/are process needed or rules to be follow in the government
to make sure that the organization is pacing the standard of autonomy, self –
financing and self – reliance organization not as one of the government agencies
but as the cooperative or organization meeting the needs of the members and
rural community or with the desire of cooperative to achieve the goal for its
members, rural community economically and socially.

The Last topic relevant to the Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning and
Development is the Development of Cooperatives from other self - help
Organizations. Like what we have tackled in the mentioned subject, mostly or if
not common farms or land/s in the rural community in the Philippines if it is not
owned by the private people, government has the power to manipulate the rules
and regulations regarding the management of the land, that’s why by their saying
that this would be a help to the farmers, it seems like no improvement at all is
happening and in the case scenario here in our country people who live near farm
were maltreated by the authorities and push them away, if there is a help, it is not
much considering or still not enough due to the poverty that is still encountered
by the farmers or to the cooperative or organization to where the government
intervened.

So, based on the book, despite the Philippine government/s intervention or much
better to say in attempting to promote the indigenous self – help organizations
like cooperatives, it is counterproductive or not giving satisfying help to
cooperatives. It only means that it's either the organization or cooperative itself
will give help to the cooperative or other self- help organizations or NGOs (Non-
Government Organization) to which they are those cooperative that know how to
handle the dilemma currently face by the cooperative or will give or provide
needs or guide to the certain cooperative that needs help and promotion in order
to function well and to give better services, products and goods to it members
and in order to suffice the necessities in rural communities.
To sum it up, the development that was mentioned and defined above which is
based on what we have studied in Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning
and Development in Philippine Context, is really match to the book that I have
read to where the development can only be meet based on the collective
planning and action in order to mobilize the resources and in order to transform
the institution so that it is not only responsive to the needs of the members but
also of the rural community and with this, the development will be achieved if the
things stated above is able to follow by the members of the cooperative or
organization and properly applied in our country.

III. Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions

Therefore, the topic/s that was enlisted above with its relativity to one of the
topic/s tackled in our subject Political and Social Dynamics in Rural Planning and
Development in Philippine context, it only shown that it is about on how the
cooperative will adapt the changes in the society and how are the cooperative/s
or organizations will overcome the struggle to achieve development through
collective planning and action or mobilization of their resources and through the
transformation of the cooperative or institutions in order to become responsive
not only to the necessities of its members but also for the welfare of the rural
communities.

Second, it is shown that, participation is one of a big help in order for the
cooperative or rural community/es to be elevated without this, yes, cooperative
will be effective but the thing here is how efficient it is without participation
coming from the members who at the same time the owners or those who is/are
holding the cooperative.

Third and lastly, just like a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
and Threats) there are three things need to consider in cooperative which is the
participation which is mentioned at the second conclusion, capacity, and welfare.
To which in capacity, it will depends on the structure of the cooperative if it is
matched to the capability/es of the members to do a certain action for the good
of the majority, also the welfare to which it is the most important thing to
consider in order to see a clear mission and vision for the cooperative, if a certain
problem is able to be solved immediately and who in the members is/are affected
or who in the rural community, for them to find if what is/are the root cause of
problem on how much is needed for the solution, how much effort and how big
the risk is really needed or is it need to set aside for a moment to follow the list of
priorities that is/are really need to address first before something else. Much
likely, the chosen topics above relevant to the Political and Social Dynamics in
Rural Planning and Development are also applicable when it comes to the
Philippine context.

Recommendations

First recommendation is, as the one who reviews the book observed is that, the
book is/was full of ideas, thoughts and facts based on the situation of the
cooperative they had stated but it is lacking of substantiation on how it really
happens in a certain country they are not giving an exact location on where it is
really happening that's why as the one who reviews the book, it is okay to suggest
if they put some examples or/of country in order for the reader to know if it is
applicable to their country or not.

Second is, as the one who review the book, the book focuses on general state of
the cooperative and not giving exact location if a certain situation in the
cooperative on where it is really happening in order for the reader to know if it is
legitimate but as the one who reviews the book, it is also to alright to suggest if
they put some detailed view of about the recent or current situation of any or if
possible every country's situation in cooperative.

Lastly, as the one who review the book, it is okay to suggest if they put some
statistics about some or if possible every country’s situation or status in
cooperative on how it is able to suffice the members and rural community’s need
and how are the certain country solve the struggle they have encountered in
running the cooperative or organization.