Cooperation and coordination. A study into the role of farmer’s cluster organizations in the sunflower oilseed sector in Uganda

Abstract

In this thesis, the organizational structure of farmers into regional second-level groups in the sunflower oilseed sector in Uganda was studied. These cluster-groups unite several small local producer organizations under a regional second-level organization. They are formed to bene?fit from scale advantages. The literature describes several advantages of producer organizations. It was found that in Uganda, the cluster-groups have economic and social activities as their main role. The clusters are involved in bulking and joint marketing of produce, processing and they provide services such as training and saving and credit schemes. The farmers bene?t from the cluster-groups as they are able to improve coordination in the sunflower oilseed chain and upgrade the position of the farmers in the chain.