Social Inclusion in Member Participation, Legislation and Financial Performance of Agricultural Co-operatives in Kenya

2026-07-08T08:35:56Z

Social Inclusion in Member Participation, Legislation and Financial Performance of Agricultural Co-operatives in Kenya Wambua, Victor Mbatha; Waweru, Kennedy; Wambu, Charles.K Despite the central role of agricultural cooperatives in promoting inclusive rural development in Kenya, social exclusion in member participation based on gender, age, and socioeconomic status persists, potentially undermining their financial performance. While agricultural cooperatives are founded on principles of democratic and inclusive member participation, empirical evidence on how social inclusion in member participation affects financial performance, particularly under varying legislative environments remains limited. This study investigated the relationship between social inclusion in member participation and the financial performance of agricultural cooperatives in Kenya, with legislation examined as a moderating factor. Grounded in the theory of intersectionality, the study explored how overlapping social identities such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status influence member participation and financial performance. A mixed methods research design was adopted, targeting 57,640 members drawn from 31 agricultural cooperatives in Kiambu and Kajiado counties for the period 2019 to 2023. A multistage sampling technique was employed, involving purposive sampling of counties and agricultural cooperatives, followed by stratified random sampling to ensure representation across gender, youth, and other identity groups. A final sample size of 397 respondents was achieved. Social inclusion in member participation was measured using indicators such as participation in meetings, voting rights, access to leadership, and benefit-sharing, while financial performance was assessed using surplus margins, liquidity, and audit reports. Regression analysis revealed that social inclusion in member participation significantly influenced financial performance (R = 0.534; R² = 0.285), indicating that 28.5% of the variance in financial performance was explained by inclusive participation. When legislation was introduced as a moderating variable, the explanatory power increased (R = 0.561; R² = 0.314), demonstrating that supportive legislative frameworks strengthen the effect of social inclusion on cooperative financial performance. The study concluded that deliberate promotion of social inclusion in member participation enhances financial performance and recommended that agricultural cooperative leaders and policymakers institutionalize inclusive participation practices and enact enabling legislation to improve cooperative resilience and sustainability. An article published in the African Journal of Co-operative Development and Technology.

Cooperative Responses to Land Conversion and Financial Sustainability

2026-07-07T13:07:54Z

Cooperative Responses to Land Conversion and Financial Sustainability Mbugua, Mary Njoki; Oboka, Wycliffe; Wambu, Charles K. Agricultural land conversion (ALC) increasingly threatens the economic viability of agricultural cooperatives by reducing arable land, weakening production capacity, and diminishing member participation. This study examines how cooperatives respond toALC and how these responses shape financial sustainability through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and meta-analysis. The review draws on a dataset of 52 peer-reviewed studies published between 2004 and 2023, which together constitute the empirical foundation for the analysis. Using a structured protocol, the study synthesizes global evidence on strategic responses and estimates their aggregated effects through a random-effects meta-analytical model. The findings reveal six dominant response categories: diversification of activities, intensification of production, value-chain integration, technological innovation, land consolidation, and policy advocacy. Technological innovation demonstrates the strongest positive association with income stability (β = 0.465, p < 0.001), while diversification emerges as the most widely adopted strategy across contexts. Regional patterns are also evident: cooperatives in Africa rely more heavily on diversification and member-capacity strengthening, whereas those in Asia, Europe, and North America tend to emphasize technological upgrading, vertical integration, and land-use regulation. These patterns underscore the contextual nature of adaptation under land-use pressure. Overall, the study finds that all six strategies positively influence financial sustainability, though their relative effectiveness depends on local institutional, ecological, and policy conditions. The meta-analysis further highlights the central role of institutional capacity and governance quality in enhancing the success of cooperative adaptation, even where land pressures are severe. The study concludes that agricultural cooperatives are not merely reactive to land conversion but active agents capable of deploying strategic responses that reinforce long-term financial sustainability. Strengthening innovation capacity, promoting context-appropriate diversification, and improving institutional support systems are therefore critical for safeguarding cooperative viability in rapidly transforming landscapes. An article published in The African Journal of Co-operative Development and Technology

Department of Co-operative and Agri-business Management (DCAM)

Social Inclusion in Member Participation, Legislation and Financial Performance of Agricultural Co-operatives in Kenya

Cooperative Responses to Land Conversion and Financial Sustainability