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Comittee: Pierre Le Ray (director), Laurène Feintrenie (co-director)

Abstract:

This study explores the link between the agriculture practices and the mecanisms and objectives of the value chain. Particularly, it investigates the effect of agroecological practices in bean culture, in the region of Perez Zeledon, in Costa Rica. Interviews with producers have permitted to identify and understand the functioning and the strategies of bean cropping system, to make the link with their integration in the market. Similarly, interviews with actors of the bean value chain enabled us to understand the impacts of the functioning and the strategies of the value chain on the bean agriculture practices.
Since the 80’s, Costa Rica has promoted chemical intensification into its agriculture and economic policies. Morever, the bean value chain is controlled by the agro industry, which is involved in the importations as well as the purchase of the national production. However, Costa Rican Beans are less competitive than imported ones (from China and Nicaragua).
The study shows that market and actors of the bean value chain have an impact on the crops organization and on the practices. Among the value chain actors, producers organizations have a specific role to foster producers towards agroecological practices, with the support of technical services and Ministry of Agriculture and Breeding.