Title
An evidence-based relationship between technical assistance and productivity in cocoa from Tocache, Peru
Other title
Relación basada en evidencia entre la asistencia técnica y la productividad en el cacao de Tocache, Peru
Date Issued
01 January 2023
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Publisher(s)
Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural
Abstract
The growth of small-scale Peruvian farmers is highly dependent on cocoa factor productivity. Agricultural extension programs can help to improve farm productivity using available resources. Thus, the objective of this study is to estimate the productivity of Peruvian cocoa farming and identify if frequent technical assistance impacts on farmers’ technical efficiency. The data came from a survey of 379 cocoa farmers in Tocache, San Martin (177 producers who sell through intermediaries and 202 who are cooperative members), conducted between January and June 2015. This article is supported by the interaction of two associated techniques: the production function and the technical efficiency technique based on stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). The key findings were that the estimated coefficients for labor, capital, land and fertilizer were positive to cocoa production. Our outcomes also show there is a (marginally) significant relationship between technical assistance and technical efficiency (p-value<10%). There is also a positive relationship between efficiency and other socioeconomic characteristics of being a male, having experience in cocoa cultivation and practicing non-diversification in other crops. Policymakers could consider these results to improve farm management systems and, therefore, the competitiveness of the cocoa plantations in the Peruvian Amazonia
Volume
61
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Sociología Economía
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85138585046
Source
Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural
ISSN of the container
01032003
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus