Revista Latinoamericana de Difusión Científica
Volumen 6 – Número 10 – Enero/Junio 2024 - ISSN 2711-0494
P. F. Thulisile Ndashe et al// Repositioning Cooperative Poultry Farming as a Vocation...63-77
encounter hurdles accessing markets (Hobbs, et al., 2018). In light of this phenomenon,
the authors argue that cooperative farming may offer poultry farmers a viable option for
collaborating and addressing the above-mentioned challenge collectively.
The concept of cooperative poultry farming has been instrumental in tackling the
issue of limited market access, particularly in less affluent countries (Hellin, et al., 2009).
For instance, in 2017, over 75% of the milk produced in the United States was sold
through dairy cooperatives (Wadsworth et al., 2021). Furthermore, disparities in
cooperative market shares are notable across industries and countries (Bunse, et al.,
2
011). While Italian cooperatives held a mere 5% market share in the olive oil industry
in 2010, Spanish cooperatives dominated with 70% (Stasi et al., 2018). Similarly, in the
pig meat market, French and Danish cooperatives secured 86% and 94% shares,
respectively, whereas other European Union nations lagged behind (Bijman et al.,
2
012). The foregoing suggests that cooperative farming model is a community
development approach that allows individuals with shared interests to work together for
mutual benefit.
The attractiveness of cooperatives stems from their access to global markets and
their focus on export-oriented, high-quality products, encouraging farmers to join
(Morakile, 2018). Through cost-cutting measures and leveraging market dominance,
cooperatives have the potential to boost community development and membership
remains voluntary and self-sustaining, fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with
the community and government (Candemir et al., 2021). Poultry farming not only
enhances food security but also supports sustainable agriculture in impoverished
nations, with over 80% of rural households utilizing it as a renewable resource and raw
material for the confectionery industry (Nkukwana, 2018). To meet the demand for
animal protein, governments and non-governmental organisations has initiated various
programs, including the Future Farmers Foundation, World Poultry Foundation, and
Supreme Poultry among others (Alders et al., 2009). These initiatives aim to empower
farmers in developing nations and foster global poultry production and consumption.
Notably, training provided by international and national organisations and experts has
greatly benefited small-scale chicken farmers in South Africa (Wiskirchen et al., 2022).
Moreover, these programmes primarily educate farmers on modern, efficient livestock
rearing methods, which subsequently increase farmers' income (Aladejebi et al., 2014).
Despite the establishment of these initiatives, the poultry industry in Umhlathuze
6
5
