Abstract

MARTINEZ ZARATE, Natalia; BOKELMANN, Wolfgang  and  PACHON ARIZA, Fabio Alberto. Value chain analysis of panela production in Utica, Colombia and alternatives for improving its practices. Agron. colomb. [online]. 2019, vol.37, n.3, pp.297-310. ISSN 0120-9965.  https://doi.org/10.15446/agron.colomb.v37n3.78967.

Panela is mainly produced by small farmers. It is one of the most relevant agroindustries in Colombia. Traditional processing in all production phases is the main characteristic of this product. This research aimed to identify alternatives for panela farmers in the municipality of Utica (Colombia) and to improve their agricultural practices and manufacturing methods. This should help gain better access to markets while making production economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. Face to face interviews with different stakeholders as well as an in-depth analysis of different scopes were used to identify problems of the value chain. Low incomes, environmental degradation, and lack of organization were the central issues identified. Nevertheless, traditional crop practices could be a strong argument for gaining a place in the organic food market.

Keywords : food supply chain; peasantry; agricultural production; agricultural practices; jaggery.

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