Soft Systems Methodology: Prososal to improve the cocoa value chain in Ecuador
- Authors
- Astudillo Paredes, Jos? Gabriel
- Format
- MasterThesis
- Status
- publishedVersion
- Description
Cocoa in Ecuador has been one of the most important agricultural products within its exportable offering. Since the popularization of chocolate in Europe in mid-19th century to the present day, cocoa has had a major influence on the Ecuadorian economy. Currently, though less noticeable, cocoa is still the third largest export item and has about 100,000 people who depend on its production, most small farmers who lack the resources and knowledge to improve their production volume and quality and, secondly, its ability to negotiate. The State has not had major participation in the current value chain, despite the interest for improving the productive capacity of Ecuador has increased in recent years, the government and its institutions have focused only on the first stage of production without considering other factors affecting all stakeholders and that shape this complex network. This paper has as main objective to present a proposal to improve the current conditions in which the cocoa value and marketing chain is being managed. Is important to considered that although Ecuador produces two types of cocoa, Fine Flavor Cocoa and Bulk or ?ordinary? Cocoa, the big majority of Ecuadorian production are these variety of beans, which makes them the first worldwide producer of FFC. In order to obtain an improved system, Soft Systems Methodology is used as the high participation of the human component provides great levels of complexity and shapes a scenario in which the methodology is suitable to account all the components of the production, transformation and trading process. The model developed in the present research considers the implementation of a more integral process of training to the farmers in order to underpin the production and their bargaining power upstream in the chain. Besides, since there are two products that have to be treated individually due to their characteristics and market, the preparation of an organoleptic profile is suggested to differentiate them and as the first step to ensure the quality of beans for export. This mechanism also might facilitate the sharing of revenues along the value chain and the formalization of intermediaries.
- Publication Year
- 2014
- Language
- Topic
- SOFT SYSTEM METHOLOGY
CHECKLAND
COCOA
CATWOE
- Repository
- Repositorio SENESCYT
- Rights
- openAccess
- License