Akashs Dilemma - Management Case H.S.K.

Tangirala Hyderabad, India I have completed one year, the new assignment as Managing Director of Sheep and Goat Cooperative Federation. I was working as Joint Director, in Animal Husban dry Department. I got good credentials as Joint Director and the job was differ ent. The job of Managing Director of Sheep Federation is different from that of Joint Director. These includes; implementing all Government of India Schemes related to Sheep & Goat Development; financial assistance to members for purcha se of units by getting funds from different funding agencies like National Coope rative Development Corporation, (NCDC), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Government of India (GOI), Central Wool Development Board (CWDB) etc; providing health services to small ruminants of members at door ste p through government schemes through mobile vans at migrated and remote areas; d istributing good Breeding Rams produced in the farms to members to increase bree d potentiality, and to avoid inbreeding; developing fodder in lands belongs to m embers, community, Government, and leased to augment fodder deficit; establishin g silage pits at individual, society and union level and also in farms; providin g reasonable price to animals by establishing sheep market yards at district le vel; for getting remunerative price to animals, MOU will be entered with meat ex porters at state level organizations; creating awareness among members about pro fitable sheep farming at village level, district level and at farmers school at framers at state level. I have done good job in many areas of my job chart but still I have to do many, to make the federation vibrant. There are challenges a nd many unsolved issues which are making my head bugle said Akash. In the year 1993 sheep and goat sector was brought under cooperative fold by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The sheep and Goa t sector has been following three tire system i.e., at primary level Primary She ep Breeders Cooperative societies, at District level District Sheep Breeders Coo perative Unions and at State level- Sheep and Goat Cooperative Federation Ltd. At present there are 22 District Unions and 5384 Primary Sheep Breeders Cooperat ive Societies were formed at village level with a total membership of 3,23,954 ( out of which 311380 are Backward Classes). In staff meeting Akash said even though we have wide network of cooperative socie ties, right from primary level to federation and sizeable number of cooperative societies, the performance is dismal. We have to sketch such economic operatio ns which can generate income to the farmers. We have designed what the primary societies, District Unions and State Federation shall do. But somehow the link is missing. We have to prepare business development plans to primary societies as well as District Unions. Economic operations have to be carried out in a sci entific manner. The sheep and Goat cooperatives have to be managed in an enterp rise model. To avoid middlemen problem, uplift farmers above Below Poverty Line (BPL) is one of the motto of starting these cooperatives. We want unity, clarit y at society level about the roles of president and Secretary (Primary as well a s District level). We have to go for value additions and processing by the soci ety. All the members have to bring to one single platform so as to take busines s operations collectively rather than individually. If this is done we can stre amline many things. I understand we have to train them with cooperative inputs a s well as business management inputs with a new outlook. I want suggestion in a pragmatic manner to suit to the requirements of cooperatives. Sirajuddin the Manager of Federation said Sir, before talk about Primary societie s, we have to educate the members about the cooperative system. We shall make t he members realize that these cooperatives are for them and everybody shall abid e by the rules of the society and importance of cooperation among members. Rajesh the Marketing and Extension Manager said the members are to be explained a bout the schemes implemented by the federation, get the confidence from them tha t this Cooperative Federation is for the welfare of the members and then in the

second phase we shall explain the marketing aspects of the Goat and Sheep, impor tance of Value addition, processing, value addition of wool, skin of the animal, stopping of traditional way marketing sheep and goat etc. Mr.Rajesh, dont think that our members doesnt know these things. I strongly believ e that they have good knowledge about these things as it is their livelihood. W hat we need to do planning for the poor, making our strategies simple, we have t o make our business strategies in a pragmatic manner, we shall think of Starting retail outlets in every towns and cities, open slaughter houses, start selling the meat, and we can go for exports also immediately. We are wasting time. Yea rs are passing but we are not showing any progress in the marketing side and dev eloping infrastructure. We need to take bold steps and that will be the strategy said the Finance Manager Mr.Sampath. Akash summed up; Okay colleagues, I want cooperative model and enterprise model. We had fruitful discussion, but, I am a bit in dilemma how to go about it. Let us stop this meeting today and we shall join tomorrow at 2 PM. I request you to have discussion and comeback with a final road map. Note: 1. This management case is prepared as a basis for classroom discussion rat her than taking administrative decision 2. The names used in this management case is pseudo 3. Fair critics are invited to make the case even more meaningful for the u se of classroom discussion. 4. You can contact the author through email hsktangirala2007@yahoo.co.in