The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana

This study presents a stylized but insightful diagnostic of the problems limiting collective action in Ghanaian farmer-based organizations (FBOs). In our analysis, we use a structure-conduct-performance framework, econometrics, and new primary data for 500 FBOs collected through surveys and games. W...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Francesconi, Gian Nicola, Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155044
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author Francesconi, Gian Nicola
Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie
author_browse Francesconi, Gian Nicola
Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie
author_facet Francesconi, Gian Nicola
Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie
author_sort Francesconi, Gian Nicola
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study presents a stylized but insightful diagnostic of the problems limiting collective action in Ghanaian farmer-based organizations (FBOs). In our analysis, we use a structure-conduct-performance framework, econometrics, and new primary data for 500 FBOs collected through surveys and games. We find that most Ghanaian FBOs are inactive, failing to mobilize their members into any sort of collective action. To understand why this is so, we postulate that in rural Ghana, four typologies can be used to classify FBOs and to distinguish them on the basis of their membership structure and rules of conduct. We then show that FBOs fail to mobilize collective action whenever their structure and conduct are not aligned. In particular, misalignment leads mainly to problems of access to external credit and to a lesser extent to problems of internal cohesion. To maximize collective action, this study recommends the diversification of policy through recognizing the four different types of FBOs, each facing particular and to some extent opposing problems.
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spelling CGSpace1550442025-11-06T07:15:40Z The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana Francesconi, Gian Nicola Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie collective action cooperatives econometrics This study presents a stylized but insightful diagnostic of the problems limiting collective action in Ghanaian farmer-based organizations (FBOs). In our analysis, we use a structure-conduct-performance framework, econometrics, and new primary data for 500 FBOs collected through surveys and games. We find that most Ghanaian FBOs are inactive, failing to mobilize their members into any sort of collective action. To understand why this is so, we postulate that in rural Ghana, four typologies can be used to classify FBOs and to distinguish them on the basis of their membership structure and rules of conduct. We then show that FBOs fail to mobilize collective action whenever their structure and conduct are not aligned. In particular, misalignment leads mainly to problems of access to external credit and to a lesser extent to problems of internal cohesion. To maximize collective action, this study recommends the diversification of policy through recognizing the four different types of FBOs, each facing particular and to some extent opposing problems. 2011 2024-10-01T14:05:48Z 2024-10-01T14:05:48Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155044 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34935 https://doi.org/10.2499/9780896291751RR164 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154293 https://doi.org/10.18352/ijc.276 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Francesconi, Gian Nicola; Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie. 2011. The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1129. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155044
spellingShingle collective action
cooperatives
econometrics
Francesconi, Gian Nicola
Wouterse, Fleur Stephanie
The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title_full The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title_fullStr The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title_full_unstemmed The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title_short The renewed case for farmers' cooperatives: Diagnostics and implications from Ghana
title_sort renewed case for farmers cooperatives diagnostics and implications from ghana
topic collective action
cooperatives
econometrics
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155044
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