Satisfaction analysis of officials and farmers concerning the service provisions of MPCASS

Introduction

The concept of co-operation is closely related to human society. Co-operation is not a new concept when it comes to two or more people working together for a common goal. It has existed for as long as human civilization. The idea of supporting one another during difficult times gave rise to the informal practice of cooperation (Nath and Aeeawatia, 2022) [4] . Co-operation is a type of organization in which individuals freely collaborate with one another as fellow humans on the basis of equality in order to advance their own economic interests. Thus, co-operation is comparable to other forms of enterprise in that it too seeks to conduct business effectively. Additionally, it incorporates both the positive aspects of capitalism and communist organizational structures (Nakkiran 2006) [3] . Small and medium-sized farmers in Indian agriculture are often noted for having very poor income generations and little savings. India's population is growing quickly and in order to satisfy the demands of this expanding population, we must boost production and productivity. We require better seeds, fertilizers, irrigation and farm mechanizations to increase food production. However, the financial situation of farmers makes it difficult for them to adopt modern production methods and technologies. We need to give farmers easy access to loans in order to get over these limitations (Verma 2016) [1] . Farmers who work together to pool their resources in particular fields of endeavour form cooperatives, sometimes known as farmer's co-operatives. Numerous such co-operatives have enabled integrated agricultural development in Punjab's agriculture, which is a blessing. In the context of the rural social system, cooperatives can be producer's cooperatives, supplier co-operatives, marketing cooperatives, or cooperatives for research and extension. Farmers that produce related agricultural products get together to form cooperative societies. They plan cooperative production and carry out collaborative marketing of the good at retail or wholesale level (Shree and Vaishnavi 2022) [2] . Despite the fact that the service was launched through multipurpose cooperative agriculture service societies (MPCASS), it highlighted various issues regarding the effectiveness of these services, farmer's satisfaction with the service, challenges encountered in using the service, constraints faced by the officials of (MPCASS) etc noted by Kundaragi and Kadakol (2016) [5] .

Results & Discussion

Satisfaction of officials regarding various aspects of services that they provide through MPCASS: The Table 1 represents the levels of satisfaction related to various services provided by the society, including custom hiring, farm inputs, credit facilities and other aspects like government and cooperative bank policies. In the category of custom hiring, the highest level of satisfaction (82.5%) is observed in the timely recovery of rent generated from machinery, indicating that most farmers are satisfied with how rents are collected. The lowest level of satisfaction within this category, though still high, is with the number of machines available to fulfil farmer demand (65%). For farm inputs, the purchasing procedure and supply of agrochemicals from the source received the highest satisfaction (77.5%), along with purchasing procedure and supply of DAP (77.5%), showing a strong positive response to the availability and process of obtaining agro-chemicals. However, the supply of seeds from the source has the lowest satisfaction level (25%) and the highest dissatisfaction (47.5%), indicating significant issues in seed supply. Credit facilities show high satisfaction in the sanctioning procedure of credit (82.5%), reflecting effective and efficient credit approval processes. Conversely, the recovery procedure of credit has a lower satisfaction level (67.75%) and some dissatisfaction (10%), suggesting room for improvement in credit recovery practices. Among other services, the area of operation received the highest satisfaction (92.5%), indicating that the geographical coverage of services meets the needs of the majority. On the contrary, the lowest satisfaction in this category pertains to monthly income, with only 47.5 per cent satisfaction and a significant dissatisfaction level (32.5%), highlighting income concerns among the service users. In summary, while the society excels in certain areas like rent recovery, credit sanctioning and operational coverage, it faces challenges in seed supply and monthly income satisfaction. Table 2 presents the distribution of officials based on their satisfaction levels regarding various aspects of services that they provide through Multipurpose Cooperative Agriculture Service societies to the beneficiaries. According to the Table 4.17, 10 per cent of officials fell within the low satisfaction range. In the medium satisfaction range, representing a broader segment, 22.5 per cent of officials scored. The majority of officials, constituting 67.5 per cent, reported high satisfaction levels.

Satisfaction of farmers regarding various aspects of services provided by MPCASS

Table 3 illustrates satisfaction levels related to various services provided by the society, revealing both high and low points. Custom hiring shows the highest satisfaction with the dealing of officials (66.0%), while the working condition of the machines has the lowest satisfaction (43.5%). Moreover, number of machines available, has the highest level of dissatisfaction (17.0%). Regarding credit facilities, staff assistance for financial inquiries is highly appreciated (79.5%), whereas interest rates, although satisfactory, have the lowest satisfaction in this category (58.5%). These insights highlight strengths in the quality of inputs and financial support, while also identifying areas such as inventory and machine availability that require improvement. In context to input facilities, highest satisfaction (81.5%) is with the quality of farm inputs, indicating that the offered seeds, fertilizers and pesticides meet farmer's expectations. Conversely, the lowest satisfaction (25.5%) is with the quantity of farm inputs in stock, reflecting a need for better inventory management. Table 4 presents the distribution of farmers based on their overall satisfaction levels regarding services provided by cooperative societies. Among the respondents, 16.5 per cent reported Low satisfaction followed by medium satisfaction level with 34.5 per cent and 49 per cent of respondents, expressed High satisfaction level.

Conclusion

The present study highlights the pivotal role of cooperative institutions, particularly MPCASS, in strengthening the agricultural support system and enhancing farmers' access to essential services. From the farmers' perspective, nearly half (49%) reported high satisfaction, reflecting a generally positive perception of the services. Overall, while MPCASS has made significant contributions toward agricultural development and service delivery, the study underscores the need for targeted improvements. Strengthening seed supply chains, enhancing inventory management, increasing the availability of machinery, and addressing income-related concerns of officials can further improve efficiency and satisfaction levels. By addressing these challenges, MPCASS can play a more transformative role in achieving sustainable agricultural development and improving the socio-economic conditions of farmers.

References

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