Abstract:
Cooperatives have role in improving socio-economic life of members. However impact of Covid-19 in
the world largely imposes great challenges on the socio-economic activities of the organization,
cooperative and individual people. The main purpose of this study is to assess the roles and challenges of
farmers’ cooperative union during Covid-19 in West Shoa Zone, particularly in BBFCU. This paper
intended to analyze the social role, economic role, and the challenges during Covid-19 faced by BBFCU.
To achieve this objective primary and secondary data were collected through a questionnaire survey
from 191 respondents census and purposively, group discussion from 3 grouped respondents each have
five members and interviews from 5 those working in three management of the union and two top
management and vice of BTCPO. All (32) questionnaires, 10 groups discussed, and 6 interviews were
completed with a response rate of 97.4%, 100%and 100% respectively. For testing of opinion survey data
reliability; Cronbach's Alpha reliability test has been used. For data analysis, descriptive statistics,
qualitative and quantitative analysis test, and Binary Logistic Regression analysis has been administered
and the results indicate that from the challenge imposed by Covid-19 on BBFCU .The social roles of
FCU during Coivid-19 were helping vulnerable peoples, creating awareness about Covid-19, by
dissemination of relevant information about Covid-19, and also played economic roles by support of
Covid-19 equipment materials, supplying agricultural inputs, collecting agricultural production, grant
loan for members and generating income during covid-19.From the challenges faced by Covid-19 on
BBFCU variables were Lack of functioning, Lack of training and education, Lack of market channels,
Lack of supplying inputs, Challenges to collect agricultural productions, Lack of capital, Lack of
information, Lack of general assembly, Lack of transportations, and Lack of dividends were significant.
This study recommended that was the major regulatory body of cooperative and government must
encourage the BBFCU by facilitating modernizing services, creating aware mobile based cooperative
services and ICT based communication channels to enhance the socio-economic of members’ service
during Covid-19. Give awareness by the health professional about the diseases of Covid-19 and to
organize health cooperative for the rural farmers.
