Farmers’ perception of agricultural cooperatives: the case of Şanlıurfa, Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Şanlıurfa is the province with the third-largest agricultural area in Turkey. However, it has only 0.62% of the total number of cooperatives in the country. This study aimed to determine the perceptionsof farmers in Şanlıurfa regarding agricultural cooperatives and the factors affecting them. The main research material was obtained through face-to-face surveys involving farmers in Şanlıurfa selected by a simple random sampling method. The sampling volume was determined with a 95% confidence limit and a 5% error margin. Multiple regression analysis was used in Stata software. According to the results of the research, 39.7% of the participants were cooperative members and more than half of them were not active members. Of the participants, 30.3% had a positive perception of cooperatives, 36.82% were undecided, and 32.88% had negative opinions. Age, marital status, non-agricultural income, experience, social security, farmer registration system, cooperative membership, and land variables positively affected farmers’ perceptions. However, the variables of education, income, and union membership had negative effects on farmers’ perceptions. No statistically significant relationship was reported between a farmer’s perception and any of the following variables: the number of people that make up the farmer’s household, the number of individuals engaged in agriculture and non-agricultural work in the family, and the status of the farmer’s lease. Conceptual, local, cultural, educational, and structural problems related to cooperatives exist in Şanlıurfa.These issues need to be given more attention by the public. This research is the first study on this subject to be conducted in Şanlıurfa.