Associativity and economic development of cocoa producers in the province of Los Ríos

Abstract

The effectiveness of associativity is measured in the economic and social welfare that it gives to its practitioners. The strategy of partnering in the cocoa sector must be measured and evaluated in order to find opportunities for improvement. With this perspective, the objective of this article is to determine if associativity significantly influences the economic development of cocoa producers in the province of Los Ríos of Ecuador. We analyze land tenure, price instability, cocoa bonanza, combined crop strategies and certification requirements as antecedents to the problematic of the associated cocoa producer. The research is quantitative, applied, non-experimental and transectional correlational. To achieve the objective, the research hypothesis is statistically contrasted. The results show a significant influence.