Abstract:
This research was conducted in order to assess the role of cooperative societies in livestock development in Luwero Sub County, Luwero district, Uganda. The primary data for this research were obtained from a sample size of 138 respondents who were livestock fanners who belonged to cooperative societies in the study area using purposive sampling technique. The research instrument used was an opened and closed ended questionnaire administration and the primary data obtained were analysed by means of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS version 16.0) software. The results showed that (58.7%) of the respondents were above 35 years of age, (53.6%) Were female and 56.8% had more than primary education. Thirteen point eight percent (13.8%) had access to market information. Seventy-nine point seven percent (79·7%) of the respondents had access to credit and (3l.16%) utilized their credit for livestock rearing. Seventy point two-nine (70,29%) benefitted from being members of co-operative societies. Most of the farmers (28.3%) kept both poultry and pigs. The major problem faced by the respondents was that of high interest rates (33.3%). The study concluded that co-operative societies played important roles in livestock development in Luwero Sub County as they provided credit facilities, trainings on livestock husbandry management practices and upgrade of livestock breeds through Artificial insemination. The study recommendations included the need to avail the fanners with market and market information, lowering of interest rates oil credit so that mote farmers can obtain credit since it is a Limiting factor.
