An Assessment of Women Agricultural Cooperatives in Western Provinces of Cambodia

국문 초록 (Abstract)

캄보디아 여성 경제개발 프로젝트 II(CWED II)는 여성 농업협동조합(WACs)을 운영하는 여성들의 관리 역량 강화에 초점을 두고, CWED I의 지원을 받은 17개의 WACs 사업을 지속적으로 지원하고 있다. 이에 본 연구는 CWED II를 통해 지원되는 17개 WACs의 운영과정, 의사결정과 회원의 참여, 조합장의 역량, 재정운영체제, 사업성과를 분석하고 문제점을 도출하여 향후 개선방안을 모색하고자 한다. 분석대상은 95명의 이사 및 운영위원(50명의 여성)과 선별된 4개 주의 농림수산국(PDAFF) 농협개발 사무소 대표자 4명이며, 분석방법은 포커스 그룹 인터뷰(FGI)와 사업 평가를 위해 계량화된 질문지를 통해 수집한 2차 자료를 활용하였다. 평가 결과, WACs의 이사(BoD)와 운영위원(SC)은 WACs 사업의 운영 및 사업관리 측면에서 제한적인 역량을 가지고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이사와 운영위원들은 WACs 활동의 재정적 의사결정 및 관리에 대한 재량권을 갖고 있고 독립적이지만, 모든 WACs의 핵심사업인 농업 투입 공급, 대출 및 저축사업의 성과는 여전히 미약한 상태에 있다. 이러한 평가 결과를 바탕으로, WACs의 운영 성과를 증진시키기 위해서는 관리위원회에 대한 기술적인 지원, 재무교육, 대출 및 저축 프로그램에 대한 관리위원회의 역량 강화, 사업관리에 대한 기술교육이 WACs 관리위원회에 제공되어야 할 것이다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The Cooperation for Women’s Economic Development Project phase II (CWED II) is focused on improving business capacity of women in running the Women Agricultural Cooperatives (WACs) and enabling business environment for supporting sustainability of 17 WACs which have been supported by LWD in CWED I. This assessment aims to assess the status of 17 women agricultural cooperatives supported by the CWED II project which included management process, decision making and member participation, capacity of WAC leaders in operational management, financial management system, business performance and challenges faced by the WACs. Qualitative method was used to conduct the assessment. The data were collected from focus group interview (FGI) involved by 95 BoD and SC members (50 females) of the WACs and in-depth interview with 4 representatives of Office of Agricultural Cooperative Development of PDAFF in the 4 selected provinces. In addition, secondary data were collected and added to the assessment results. The result of assessment showed that the BoD and SC members of the studied WACs have limited capacity in terms of operational and business management of the WAC businesses. Even though the BoD and SC members have ownership and independent in financial decision making and management of WAC activities, the performance of agricultural input supply and loan and saving businesses, which is the core business of all WACs, are still in weak position. Based on the assessment result, the study proposed follow recommendation to improve the operational performance of the WACs. Technical assistance to management committees, financial literacy training, capacity of management committees in loan and savings program, and technical training on business management should be provided to WAC management committees.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. Research Background and Objective II. Agricultural Cooperative in Cambodia III. Research Methodology IV. Research Result V. Conclusion and Recommendation References

참고문헌 (Reference)

• 1 Muhammad Shehu Hussain, "The Role of Cooperative Organizations in Rural Community Development in Nigeria:Prospects and Challenges" 5 (5): 194-, 2014
• 2 Heifer International Organization, "Studying Cooperatives in Cambodia 2011" Heifer International Cambodia 2011
• 3 Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion of General Directorate of Agriculture, "Report on Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Agriculture Cooperative Promotion in Cambodia, December 2016"
• 4 Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion of General Directorate of Agriculture, "Prakas (Proclamation on model statutes and internal regulations for agricultural cooperatives, unions of agricultural cooperative, and Cambodia agricultural cooperative alliance 2016)"
• 5 "PRAKAS/ Proclamation on Organization and Functioning of Office and Entity under Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion under General Directorate of Agriculture released by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (No. 090MAFF) on January 29, 2015"
• 6 Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion of General Directorate of Agriculture, "Management of Agricultural Cooperative in Cambodia: A Handbook for the Training of Members and the Board and the Supervisory Committee Members of Agricultural Cooperatives with special emphasis on Increasing Membership and Share Capital in the Kingdom of Cambodia" 2016
• 7 Royal Government of Cambodia, "Law on Agricultural Cooperatives adopted (NS/RKM/0613/008) on 22nd May"
• 8 International Cooperative Alliance, "Guidance Notes to the Co-operative Principles"
• 9 Rana Muhammad Dilshad and Muhammad Ijaz Latif, "Focus Group Interview as a Tool for Qualitative Research: An Analysis" 33 (33): 191-198, 2013
• 10 "California Center for Cooperative Development Agricultural Co-ops"
• 11 Matabi Jared Mark Ochieno, "Analysis of Institutional and Governance Factors and Their Impact on Smallholders Agricultural Cooperatives’ Performance in Malawi: A Case of the Rice-oriented Cooperatives in Zomba, Salima and Nkhatabay Districts of Malawi"
• 12 Reach, Syden, "An Assessment of 17 Women Agricultural Cooperative of The Cooperation for Women’s Economic Development Project Phase II"
• 13 Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion of General Directorate of Agriculture, "AC Information-Database"
• 14 Reach, Syden, "A Comparative Study of the Agricultural Cooperative Development in Cambodia and South Korea"