Influence of member participation on dairy cooperative development in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Participation is defined as the process by which Dairy Cooperatives members exert their influence on the scope, operation, and direction as well as activities of their respective cooperatives. Consequently, members' participation affects the sustainability of projects and vice versa. However, the development of dairy cooperatives faces numerous challenges emanating from member participation. The purpose of this study was to investigate how member participation affects the development of dairy cooperatives in Kiambu County. Based on the Resource-Based Theory and Social Capital, this study used a descriptive research design. The target population for this study was the 59,635 registered members of the Dairy Cooperative, and the sample size consisted of 398 respondents chosen by stratified random sampling. Questionnaires with Likert-type statements on a 5-point scale were used to collect data. We used both descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition to Pearson correlation, other tests like central tendency (mean), frequencies, percentages, and standard deviation were applied in this instance. The results demonstrate that the growth of dairy cooperatives was significantly influenced by membership involvement (r=.398, p<0.001). These results support the hypothesis that higher member subscription fees had an impact on cooperative project success. Increasing member engagement would boost support for the dairy cooperatives' development initiatives, enhancing their sustainability. This would further advance their growth. To improve member support for projects, the study suggests that member engagement be reinforced and integrated into all dairy cooperative management procedures.