Mogoto Youth Co–operative
Date of Incorporation
The co–operative submitted its registration documents in September 2004.
Membership
There are 3 female and 12 male members in the co-operative, ranging in age from 21 to 34 years.
Economic Activity
Mogoto Youth Co-operative is an agricultural pre-co-operative involved in broiler production and marketing.
Organisational Form
Mogoto is a worker / producer pre-co-operative. 
Story of the co-operative
Mogoto is a rural area around Zebediela in the Limpopo province, where a large number of young people remain unemployed. As a result of this challenge, some young people with a vision of creating jobs for themselves worked with others to start a co-operative in 2001. This need was coupled with the desire to serve the community of Mogoto, as well as greater Zebediela, with quality poultry products at affordable prices.
Three young men who had worked in the poultry industry initiated the project and later recruited others who shared the same vision. As the group grew in size, the members resolved to form a co-operative. With the assistance of the local chief, they held a series of meetings in order to formalize the organisation’s co-operative structure. The Limpopo Youth Commission also assisted the group by organising study tours to local poultry production plants and abattoirs. This exposure made the group more determined to start their project.
Vision/Purpose/Goals
The vision of the co-operative is to create decent employment and sustainable livelihoods for youth in the community through collectively owned enterprises.
Mission Statement
The mission statement of the pre-co-operative is to provide poultry products to Mogoto and the greater Zebediala at affordable prices whilst creating jobs, fighting poverty and entrenching democratic values and principles in the community.
Starting the Co–operative
As indicated above, three young men with experience in the poultry industry started the project, which they later decided to turn into a co-operative. Most of the young people in this pre-co-operative have secondary educational level qualifications. When the group started out there were no resources available and members used their own money to run the activities necessary to organise the co-operative. During the initial phases, though, the group applied for support from the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF). It approved a loan of R386,800.00 for start–up capital.
Further resources made available to the co-operative included land provided by the local tribal authority. Extension officers from the local Department of Agriculture have also provided assistance, particularly by helping the co-operative develop a business plan.
Like any other new business venture, the co-operative experienced many obstacles during its initial phases, but these were minimised thanks to the funding from UYF. The level of commitment of the co-operative members has never been a problem. The co-operative model further ensured that, whilst the young people participate in the business activity, they are also able to enjoy continuous skills development, learning from each other, and motivating other young people in the community.
In order to measure the success of the pre-co-operative, four success indicators will be used, namely:
- Income generated in the co-operative
- The level of skills improvement
- Replication of the co-operative model by other young people in the community
- Entrenched democratic values by members, not only in the co-operative but also throughout the entire community.
Organisational Structure
This leadership structure adopted in the co-operative founding meeting has not been changed. The board positions are:
- Chairperson
- Deputy Chairperson
- Secretary
- Deputy Secretary
- Treasurer
The role of this Board is to implement decisions taken at the Annual General Meeting and develop necessary policies for the co-operative to be ratified by members. The Board also manages the co-operative on behalf of members by being responsible for key sections of the co-operative such as production, marketing and administration.
Links to the Community
The co–operative is a community based business entity and therefore links with the community are entrenched in its activities. It consults and reaches agreement with the community in regard to its operations. This process of consultation and concurrence has led to the co–operative being given land by the local chief, who is currently acting as a patron for the co-operative.
Future plans
Currently, the pre-cooperative is intending to start full production beginning in the Spring of 2005 with 3000 broilers increasing to 5000 per cycle. Expansion plans include venturing into vegetable production and into the establishment of an abattoir over the next five years.
Lessons Learned
In most instances it is difficult to organise youth co-operatives, however, with Mogoto the lesson is that young people like doing things for themselves. What needs to be done by all stakeholders is to support the initiatives without dictating and interfering.
The co–operative has never experienced membership dropout or lack of commitment. This derives from the fact that all members of the co-operative were screened before being accepted. Though the screening process might appear to contradict the values and principles of co-operatives, it has meant that we have committed and loyal members.
Umsobomvu is a Nguni word for "a rising dawn". The Umsobomvu Youth Fund (www.youthportal.org.za), created in 1998 with a fund of one billion Rand, exists to encourage youth employment, to help young people organize and secure the training to enter into the labour force. Unemployment is a major issue in South Africa, where 7.8 million of the 19 million young people are unemployed - and the numbers of unemployed grow by 400,000 a year. The Fund has helped many young people in South Africa to start new co-operatives.
