Managing paddy rice business of small farmers: Integrated coperative in Asia / V.R.Gaikwad and V.K.Gupta

Traditional mercantile co-operatives in most countries have not fulfilled their expectations primarily because they lacked integrated production orientation. In the traditional approach there was no vertical integration between production/productivity enhancement efforts, and marketing, processing and by-product utilisation.

Most small farmers in Asia depend on paddy-rice business for their livelihood. This book shows how the existing co-operatives manage the paddy-rice business of small farmers, and draws attention to major areas that needs strengthening to provide integrated services to small farmers. These cover policy planning, strategies, organisation structures, personnel, member participation, controls and evaluation, economic and financial analysis, and marketing and processing operations. It is based on detailed case studies and information collected from South-East Asian countries under the FAO programme for the development of Appropriate Management Systems for Agricultural Co-operatives. Analysis of the case material would help the reader to appreciate the need for appropriate national policy direction for growth and development of small farmers' integrated co-operatives, the nature and scope of paddy-rice by-product system, and the managerial roles and tasks in an integrated approach.

This book will be of considerable value to all those interested in agriculture/rural development through small farmers' co operative action, specially policy makers, national and international funding agencies, managers and trainers of small farmers' co operatives.