Abstract

TABOADA, Cristal et al. Economic structure of productive agricultural systems as a response to climate variability in the Bolivian Andes. RIIARn [online]. 2014, vol.1, n.1, pp.16-29. ISSN 2409-1618.

The permanent pressure faced by Andean farmers due to high environmental climatic risk has historically set a responsive production system, mainly oriented to food security. However, in the last three decades, the system has faced the entrance to a scenario of global change, including temperature increases that reduce the risk of frost and better connections with urban markets constantly demanding quality food. This new environment has caused farmers to change their production system while retaining the familiar structure of production. This paper explores and describes the results of a study that involved intensively participatory collection of information related to the arising new benefit/cost relationship that farmers have in three Andean ecosystems undergoing change in the above scenario. The results show that farmers are heavily influenced in their production decisions in similar magnitude by market and climate, but the way decisions are taken vary greatly depending on access to the means of production. It also shows a lot of flexibility in the Andean farmers to respond and adapt their production system to the new realities and adequate support of agricultural institutions interaction could enhance the benefits that new climatic and market conditions bring to the area. Finally we show that the costs covered by the familiar and endogenous production system heavily subsidize prices in urban markets.

Keywords : Climatic variabilidty; Andes; Economic structure; production systems.

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