Abstract

RAMIREZ GOMEZ, Carlos Julián  and  RODRIGUEZ ESPINOSA, Holmes. INFLUENCE OF RESOURCES AND DYNAMICS OF THE TERRITORY IN SUSTAINING RAW SUGAR RURAL AGRIBUSINESS AT SUPÍA, CALDAS. Luna Azul [online]. 2017, n.44, pp.188-210. ISSN 1909-2474.  https://doi.org/10.17151/luaz.2017.44.12.

After coffee, panela is the second largest, rural agribusiness in Colombia. The panela subsector currently presents problems related to low technological levels and quality standards, weak organizational and associative culture as well as markets' access. These challenges imply the need to seek strategies from the territories in order to strengthen the subsector. The aim of this research was to analyze the influence of resources and the dynamics of the territory, in order to determine how to generate local strategies for survival and sustaining raw sugar production in Supía, Caldas, Colombia. A descriptive study with a qualitative methodological approach with data collection in three phases: an exploratory study, interviews with actors of localized agro-alimentary system (SIAL), using the technique of snowball sampling, participatory workshop and field diary, was conducted. An analysis and triangulation of information analyzing dimensions: historical, technical, institutional and food, was carried out. It was found that technical, social and economic changes over the last 50 years, account for the existence of a dynamic, local food system with know-how that constitutes one of the most important resources in the region; as well as technology, local conditions of climate and soil and innovation processes, which has generated a reputation. Five types of rural agribusiness (AIR) were identified. Some of them have been able to transform the region's resources into territorial assets, through structural or familiar collective actions as well as several relationships both within the AIR itself as a territorial level, which has played a key for sustaining panela activity, by improving their access to market.

Keywords : Collective action; associativity; localized agro-alimentary systems.

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