Social and Solidarity Economy and Social Inclusion of Assin Fosu Cooperatives

Abstract

The study explored Social and solidarity economy and social inclusion of the Assin Fosu Cooperatives. A mixed-method approach was adopted for the study. A sample of 175 members was sampled from six cooperatives. An interview schedule was used to collect data from the cooperative members. A focus group discussion guide was used for the leaders of cooperatives, and an interview guide was used to elicit information from the key informant. Analytical tools such as descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. It was found that members of cocoa-based cooperatives had high social inclusion, while access to formal education, household size, being divorced, and years of membership in the cooperatives explain low social inclusion. Collective resource mobilisation related directly to well-being, while years of membership in the cooperatives and collective resource utilisation led to low well-being. Being single, or divorced increased high collective resource mobilisation, while membership in Assin Akropong rice growers and marketing society increased collective resource mobilisation and utilisation. Based on the findings, it is recommended that cooperative members and their leadership as well as the Municipality should collaborate to intensify the positive gains from cooperation.