Evaluación integral de la sostenibilidad de la cadena productiva de mora en Píllaro en apoyo a la agenda de estrategia agropecuaria de Tungurahua

Abstract

The present research work aims to comprehensively evaluate the sustainability of the blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) production chain in the canton of Píllaro in support of the agricultural strategy agenda of Tungurahua.The methodology used included social, economic and environmental factors of the production chain. The study area was characterized by mapping the stages, actors, activities (primary and support), flows and prices of the production chain. A survey was also conducted to collect information from 512 blackberry producers. To analyze the data, the multivariate statistical method of principal component analysis was applied using SPSS software, which includes an analysis of correlation and standardization of the variables. Once the components of each dimension (environmental, social and economic) were obtained, a synthetic indicator showing the triple-impact performance of the production chain was constructed. According to the results obtained, blackberry production in the canton of Píllaro is quite conventional. Most of the producers are women, with primary education, who work their crops manually and use organic matter instead of chemical fertilizers. As a result, blackberry production has no impact on the environment. However, producers have yield problems and post-harvest losses caused by the type of packaging and transportation, which affect their income. Therefore, they require training in Good Agricultural Practices to improve their economic performance.