Diagnosis of the Family Production Units of the Cacao Agri-Food Chain in Two Municipalities of La Region de la Sierra, in Tabasco, Mexico

Carolina Hernández Hernández, Miguel Angel Ramírez Guillermo, and Sabel Barrón Freyre

Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Huimanguillo, Tabasco, Mexico

Abstract: This work was made in order to obtain for the first time, an approximation to the current situation of the cocoa agri-food chain in its sociodemographic context, in the municipalities of Tacotalpa and Teapa belonging to La Region de la Sierra of the state of Tabasco, Mexico. To achieve the objective, data were collected during the second half of 2019 about the sociodemographic profile of the producers, in addition to the characteristics of their family production unit. The results indicated that there are some similarities in sociodemographic aspects as well as in the characteristics of the family production units with respect to other producing areas in Mexico and the world. On the other hand, there were differences in the crop management conditions in this region, such as fertility (organic) and the varieties planted (Criollo), which gives an added value to the product that favours its development.

Key words: cocoa farmers, characterization, territorial development