SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR

Background. Cocoa is a traditional crop and source of economic income for Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Objective. The objective of this research was to evaluate the sustainability of cocoa-producing farms in the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Methodology. The method...

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Main Authors: Vicente Anzules Toala, Elvis Pazmiño Bonilla, Ricardo Borjas Ventura, Leonel Alvarado Huamán, Viviana Castro Cepero, Alberto Julca Otiniano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán 2021-08-01
Series:Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/3720
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author Vicente Anzules Toala
Elvis Pazmiño Bonilla
Ricardo Borjas Ventura
Leonel Alvarado Huamán
Viviana Castro Cepero
Alberto Julca Otiniano
author_facet Vicente Anzules Toala
Elvis Pazmiño Bonilla
Ricardo Borjas Ventura
Leonel Alvarado Huamán
Viviana Castro Cepero
Alberto Julca Otiniano
author_sort Vicente Anzules Toala
collection DOAJ
description Background. Cocoa is a traditional crop and source of economic income for Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Objective. The objective of this research was to evaluate the sustainability of cocoa-producing farms in the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Methodology. The methodology used to evaluate sustainability was a "Multicriteria Analysis". To obtain information on each of the cocoa farms, a personal survey was conducted with questions related to the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, ecological, sociocultural). Indicators, sub-indicators and quantifiable variables adapted to cocoa cultivation were used to analyze each dimension and general sustainability. Results. In this study, it was found that the number of sustainable farms were different from one locality to another, corresponding to the locality of San Jacinto del Búa, the highest number of sustainable farms. At the province level, almost half of cocoa producers (48%) have sustainable farms, that is, they had the three indicators (IK, IE, ISC) and the general sustainability index (I Gen), with values higher than two. Implications. In the general analysis of sustainability, one can find “critical points”, at the level of the cocoa sector, such as education and economic risk; but at the farm level, it would be the diversity of nutrient production and recycling. The need to work and eliminate these “critical points” is important, since it would allow sustainability to be achieved on farms that have not yet achieved it, and maintain it for those that have already achieved it. However, the sustainability graphs are very illustrative since in all cases, triangles are drawn with the three sides of practically similar size, which suggests a balance between the three dimensions in said system and is the graph that would best represent the idea of sustainability, as it suggests an equal assessment of the three dimensions of sustainability. Conclusions. The sustainability of cocoa-producing farms varies from one place to another and the factors that explain it are also different. The largest number of sustainable farms are found in the town of San Jacinto del Búa; but at the level of the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, less than half of the farms are sustainable. The main “critical points”, at the level of the cocoa sector, are education and economic risk; but at the farm level, it is the diversity of nutrient production and recycling. In the three localities and in the province, sustainability graphs a triangle with three sides of practically similar size, which suggests a balance between the three dimensions, that is, an equal assessment of the three dimensions of sustainability.
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spelling doaj.art-de0d125f1c114ac5b9b72f9acd8e3bfd2022-12-21T17:58:37ZengUniversidad Autónoma de YucatánTropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems1870-04622021-08-0124310.56369/tsaes.37201192SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADORVicente Anzules Toala0Elvis Pazmiño Bonilla1Ricardo Borjas Ventura2Leonel Alvarado Huamán3Viviana Castro Cepero4Alberto Julca Otiniano5Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas. Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, EcuadorUniversidad de las Fuerzas Armadas. Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, EcuadorGrupo de Investigación en Agricultura y Desarrollo Sustentable en el Trópico Peruano. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Fitotecnia. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina.Grupo de Investigación en Agricultura y Desarrollo Sustentable en el Trópico Peruano. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Fitotecnia. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina.Grupo de Investigación en Agricultura y Desarrollo Sustentable en el Trópico Peruano. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Fitotecnia. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina.Grupo de Investigación en Agricultura y Desarrollo Sustentable en el Trópico Peruano. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Fitotecnia. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina.Background. Cocoa is a traditional crop and source of economic income for Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Objective. The objective of this research was to evaluate the sustainability of cocoa-producing farms in the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Methodology. The methodology used to evaluate sustainability was a "Multicriteria Analysis". To obtain information on each of the cocoa farms, a personal survey was conducted with questions related to the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, ecological, sociocultural). Indicators, sub-indicators and quantifiable variables adapted to cocoa cultivation were used to analyze each dimension and general sustainability. Results. In this study, it was found that the number of sustainable farms were different from one locality to another, corresponding to the locality of San Jacinto del Búa, the highest number of sustainable farms. At the province level, almost half of cocoa producers (48%) have sustainable farms, that is, they had the three indicators (IK, IE, ISC) and the general sustainability index (I Gen), with values higher than two. Implications. In the general analysis of sustainability, one can find “critical points”, at the level of the cocoa sector, such as education and economic risk; but at the farm level, it would be the diversity of nutrient production and recycling. The need to work and eliminate these “critical points” is important, since it would allow sustainability to be achieved on farms that have not yet achieved it, and maintain it for those that have already achieved it. However, the sustainability graphs are very illustrative since in all cases, triangles are drawn with the three sides of practically similar size, which suggests a balance between the three dimensions in said system and is the graph that would best represent the idea of sustainability, as it suggests an equal assessment of the three dimensions of sustainability. Conclusions. The sustainability of cocoa-producing farms varies from one place to another and the factors that explain it are also different. The largest number of sustainable farms are found in the town of San Jacinto del Búa; but at the level of the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, less than half of the farms are sustainable. The main “critical points”, at the level of the cocoa sector, are education and economic risk; but at the farm level, it is the diversity of nutrient production and recycling. In the three localities and in the province, sustainability graphs a triangle with three sides of practically similar size, which suggests a balance between the three dimensions, that is, an equal assessment of the three dimensions of sustainability.https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/3720cacaofincasustentabilidad económicasustentabilidad ecológicasustentabilidad sociocultural.
spellingShingle Vicente Anzules Toala
Elvis Pazmiño Bonilla
Ricardo Borjas Ventura
Leonel Alvarado Huamán
Viviana Castro Cepero
Alberto Julca Otiniano
SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems
cacao
finca
sustentabilidad económica
sustentabilidad ecológica
sustentabilidad sociocultural.
title SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
title_full SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
title_fullStr SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
title_full_unstemmed SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
title_short SUSTAINABILITY OF COCOA PRODUCTION FARMS IN SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR
title_sort sustainability of cocoa production farms in santo domingo de los tsachilas ecuador
topic cacao
finca
sustentabilidad económica
sustentabilidad ecológica
sustentabilidad sociocultural.
url https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/3720
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