Structural and Technological Characterization of Tropical Smallholder Farms of Dual-Purpose Cattle in Mexico

Abstract

Dual-purpose cattle smallholder farms (DP) exhibit a critical economic situation. The objective of this research was building a typology for DP in tropical conditions and characterizing them technologically. This will help developing more effective public policies in DP farms located in tropical conditions. A sample of 1.475 farms located in the tropical area of Mexico was selected. The typology was built using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). Subsequently, five groups were identified by a hierarchical cluster analysis with Ward's method. Groups 1 and 2, covered a 46.5% of the farms; these ones presented a small-scale productive model with low levels of technological adoption, improvements were mainly associated to the area of reproduction and genetics. Very small farms (Group 3) showed orientation to subsistence. They need to improve all the technological areas. Groups 4 and 5 (29.4% of the sample) were the biggest and more specialized farms. Group four farms were located in dry tropics and showed the highest levels of technological adoption in the areas of reproduction, management, and feeding. These farms require improvement in the areas of reproduction, animal health, and feeding. Group 5 farms were located in the wet tropics and showed specialization in reproduction, genetics, and animal health areas. In this last group, it is necessary to improve management and feeding areas.

Impact of Dynamic Capabilities on Performance in Dairy Sheep Farms in Spain

“…On the contrary, these farms maintain a strategy opposed to the dual-purpose systems described in Latin American and Caribbean countries, with very low technological levels [44,76,77]. For smallholders of dual-purpose cattle farms in Mexico, low technological levels are described [9]. In this case, their strategy is oriented to small-scale production, low levels of technology, scarce external inputs, and low risk.…”

“…Absorption capability showed a positive influence on integration (Hypotheses 1) and on the economic result (Hypotheses 3) in a direct and indirect way. Farms recognize the value of external information and new technologies, assimilate and apply them to commercial ends [2,9]. Farmers in central Spain mainly responded to the economic crisis by increasing the sizes of their flocks, increasing the intensification and specialization in a productive activity, and reducing diversity and resilience of the farming system [3,6,30].…”

“…DCs consider the organization as a whole, as well as its relationship with the environment, facilitating the coordination of employees and the development of behavior patterns [78]. In this regard, authors of [8,9] explain the need to assemble the different technological areas in the company (feeding, reproduction, health, management, land use, quality of the milk) to achieve higher levels of efficiency. The results showed a direct effect of the integration capability on a farm's performance (hypothesis 4 accepted).…”

“…Further, in adverse political and economic conditions, innovations are not enough to mitigate the negative effects of crises. Apart from this, advances in animal health innovation and milk quality are bound by the country's regulations, which causes them to have a negative or null impact on the results [9].…”

“…There is little empirical research upon which to base the selection of one modeling approach, however, there are other approaches theorizing in the dynamic capabilities context that should be evaluated [83]. Likewise, it would be necessary to confront the proposed model with other species, production systems, and socio-economic contexts that would allow it to be completed and validated [9]. This research used a cross-sectional research method.…”