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Assessing the socio-economic sustainability in cocoa-producing farms in north-central Ecuador: A proposal for inter-organizational strategies

Abstract:

The socio-economic sustainability of the cocoa-producing chain is very relevant in public-private agendas in Ecuador. This research focused on proposing inter-organizational strategies by identifying key actors and activities, analyzing socio-economic performance and the characterization of mechanisms that govern the dynamics of the chain. For this purpose, heads of small producing farms located in Cotopaxi, La Maná canton, were surveyed in three stages. The conventional production systems and marketing exchanges of cocoa almonds are the most significant socio-economic challenging stages. Public entities' data remark the existence of threats and weaknesses in the cocoa chain's performance. The factors analyzed were of a productive and socio-economic nature. Principal component analysis and correlation were applied to process the field information. The study determined that economic sustainability is strongly affected by agronomic and social aspects. Marketing and value-added activities are aspects that stakeholders must approach with a vision of inter-organizational collaboration.