Estudio sobre el nivel óptimo de los insumos sobre los ingresos de pequeños productores agropecuarios

Abstract

The agricultural sector is of great importance for the national, regional and global economy as a source of employment and food. For this reason, it is essential to understand the dynamics of the sector in order to promote its potential and mitigate the threats that jeopardize its viability. One of the main risks the sector faces is price volatility, which harms both consumers and agricultural producers, especially the most vulnerable ones, threatening the viability of their productive units and food security. In the current context, characterized by an increase in and high volatility of agricultural prices, it is important to carry out a detailed diagnosis of the costs of agro-inputs and their impact on the income of smallholder farmers. This work performs this analysis for the poultry line of the Mujeres Productoras del Alto Patía program implemented by Fundación Alpina. Following the methodology of optimal calculation of the use of inputs, the main results show that production is not at the optimum; therefore, the productive units are not maximizing their benefits. Likewise, the demand for concentrate (the primary input of poultry production) seems to be inelastic to changes in its price. Finally, we propose lines of action to improve the implementation of the program and public policy recommendations to address the effects of price increases and the availability of agricultural inputs in Colombia.