Socio-Economic Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Performance of Co-operative Societies in Tanzania

Abstract

An unhealthy society shaded with fear can suffocate production, consumption, recreation, travel and overall well-being. This study examined the emerged socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of co-operative societies in Tanzania. The study was guided by the Epidemiologic Transition Theory and the Resource Dependence Theory. Qualitative approaches were used in describing the emerged socio-economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the co-operative societies. Primary data were collected using telephone interviews as guided by pre-tested interview guide. Secondary data were obtained from published scholarly articles, non-scholarly articles and grey literature where a Systematic Literature Synthesis (SLS) was conducted to draw data from published articles. The findings indicated that the social interaction pattern was affected, the social distancing jeopardised the practice of democracy through Annual General Meetings (AGM), sluggish transportation of agricultural produces, limited loan recovery and increasing non-performing loans, decrease in members’ savings and membership withdrawals. The study concludes that COVID-19 had tremendous short- and long-term socio-economic effects in the performance of cooperative societies. It is recommended that there is a need for the establishment of a Co-operative COVID-19 Response Committee (CCRC), the need to implement and promote an Integrated Co-operative Model (ICM) and enhancing the use of Information and Communication technology (ICT).