Cocoa beans produced in the municipality of Tumaco (Colombia) are very attractive for chocolate producers and consumers because of their fine and aromatic characteristics. However, optimal plant spacing that could improve income for cocoa farmers is uncertain. To address the problem, this study was carried out from 2016 to 2017 taking into account two phases. In the first phase, a characterization of the cocoa production system in the Colombian Pacific region was conducted. This characterization included plant spacing, cocoa-associated species, production costs, financial sources, and system yields. In the second phase, an analysis of optimal plant spacing was conducted using the results from the characterization phase. Thus, a linear programming model was developed that utilizes the three plant densities most used by producers (3x3 m, 3.5x3.5 m, and 4x4 m). Labor force, monthly bank fees, and minimum farmer income were considered as constraints of the model. Profitability was established as the objective function. This model was optimized with GAMS software, using the CPlex solver. Plant spacing of 4x4 m (625 plants ha-1) was found to be the optimal solution that maximized profitability. The minimum cocoa bean price required for this solution was 5,000 Colombian pesos kg-1 and the rural capitalization incentive (RCI) needed to be greater than or equal to 40%.
Esta revisión de la literatura se basó en 45 estudios de investigación que se enfocaron en la juventud rural latinoamericana. Dichos estudios fueron publicados en revistas arbitradas entre 2001 y 2019. El análisis de los documentos se dividió en enfoques de investigación, métodos utilizados, participantes y principales hallazgos. Se identificaron cuatro enfoques de investigación: 1) migración rural juvenil, 2) educación y/o comunicación para juventud rural, 3) expectativas y perspectivas de la juventud rural y 4) caracterizaciones de la juventud rural. Aunque las definiciones tradicionales de juventud utilizan rangos de edad entre 14 y 25 años, se observó un concepto ampliado dentro de los estudios analizados. Con respecto a los métodos, los estudios utilizaron estrategias cuantitativas, cualitativas y de métodos mixtos. Sin embargo, en algunos casos, no se desarrollaron o se mencionaron elementos como el enfoque de investigación cualitativa, la representatividad estadística (para estudios cuantitativos) o la triangulación en el análisis mixto. Por último, se observó que los cuatro enfoques de investigación coinciden en que el contexto rural latinoamericano impone barreras para la juventud; por tanto, sus aspiraciones están más orientadas hacia las actividades urbanas. Además, algunos autores subrayaron la importancia de la educación y la extensión para el empoderamiento de la juventud rural en América Latina.
La asociación de usuarios del Distrito de Adecuación de Tierras de Gran Escala del Río Zulia (ASOZULIA) Norte de Santander, con un área de influencia de 45.536 hectáreas, está interesada en la planificación productiva de su territorio. Dentro de sus actividades agropecuarias se encuentran el arroz (12.000 a 17.000 ha), la palma de aceite (1.534 ha), cítricos (limón, naranja; 346 ha), caña de azúcar (100 ha) y la ganadería. Su principal sistema de producción durante más de 50 años es el cultivo de arroz, sistema que presenta reducción de la productividad (7 a 3 tha), degradación del suelo y problemas de plagas y enfermedades, debido entre otros al uso continuo del fangueo como sistema de preparación de suelos. Adicionalmente, a pesar de tener el distrito de riego del río Zulia una concesión de 13,5 m3.s1, en épocas de verano la oferta hidrica es mucho menor como, por ejemplo, la correspondiente a los meses de febrero a marzo de 2016, con un caudal en la bocatoma del distrito de 10,8 m3s'y una captación real del distrito de solo 6 m.s' Asimismo, la construcción del nuevo acueducto para el área metropolitana de la ciudad de Cúcuta tomará 2,95 m3s del caudal antes de la bocatoma que provee agua al distrito, lo que disminuirá aún más la disponibilidad de agua para riego en esa región. Por lo anterior, se requiere la recuperación de los suelos para el establecimiento de nuevos sistemas productivos que demanden un menor consumo de agua y sean una alternativa viable para los productores.
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have made progress in creating and implementing public policies on family farming (FF) by developing their own concepts, which converge in the fact that the family labor force is the most important link. However, this also appears to be their weakness for the future, since the exodus from the countryside to the city is affecting work in this sector, and restrictive policies in this regard could end up denying the resources needed for FF to achieve greater development. This document aims to review the existing policies, official figures, and regulations that have been created over the years to recognize and strengthen family farming (FF) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). To achieve our goals, we carried out a systematic search for technical documents (books, reports, and papers with official figures), policies, and legislation related to FF in LAC. Several countries have developed concepts to make policies focused on family farmers. Nonetheless, all converge in that the family workforce is the most critical link in this conceptualization. However, it also seems to be its Achilles’ heel for the future since the field-city exodus is affecting this sector, and restrictive policies could reduce the necessary resources for FF to achieve more significant development. Furthermore, the most significant challenges are found in conducting research on crops and animal species that mainly affect FF, such as corn, beans, rice, cassava, vegetables, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and milk. Finally, efforts need to focus on studying changes in family composition, the quality of land, the role of family farmers as guardians of ancestral and native crops, excluding FF export crops. Unpaid women must not be forgotten as a vital part of FF because domestic and production units are closely related.
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