Technological profile for rural cocoa commerce in the North of Santander department.

Abstract

The following article is part of a research entitled "Rural Technology Nortesantadereano Trade Profiles: An Analysis of the competitive potential for the main Agriculture items" held in North Santander (Colombia) Department in the years 2013-2014 which included the 10 items characterization with export profiles. In the case of cocoa trade a framed research was done in the qualitative approach, selecting the study population analysis units from 23 producers in Zulia, Tibu, Toledo Sardinata and municipalities, 2 traders and one official from The Federation National Cocoa Producers (FEDECACAO). Openinterviews and questionnaires fromFEDECACAOwere applied to producers and semi-structured trading managers. As a result of the investigation, the technological level of the cocoa sector was characterized, a trade technological pattern was built and areas of intervention to improve the cocoa trade were raised. These new knowledge inputs were given to FEDECACAO as a Scientific and Technological Consulting UDES process to support management decision making in improving this important crop.