Abstract

PINA-ZAMBRANO, Henri Jesús; FRANQUIZ, Joglen  and  MORALES, Agustín. Structure, function and hierarchy of actors in the aloe chain, in the state of Falcón, Venezuela. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2011, vol.8, n.2, pp.209-227. ISSN 1870-5472.

Actors who participate in the aloe production chain have centered on development and producer training for the agronomic management of the crop, production of by-products, and the advancement of new organizational structures. However, little is known about their structure, function and hierarchy. In this sense, the concept of social capital arises, which as a recent notion is located in the conceptual plane of relations and social systems. It is alternately a resource and a way to access resources, and therefore, it is transformed into an important tool in the life strategy of individuals, by allowing them access to other resources, fostering their participation in organizations, and promoting courses of action directed at improving their level of social inclusion. Within this context, an actors' map was built for the aloe production chain in the state of Falcón, Venezuela, with the purpose of identifying all the entities interested in planning, design and performance evaluation in this chain. The methodological strategy was sustained on the analysis of networks, with the aim of identifying, describing and analyzing relations established by agents in the chain. Results indicate that organizations with actions and direct responsibility in the chain present a structural and functional dimension with minimal conditions to promote and support its competitive and efficient development, although it may be necessary to decrease administrative procedures. Likewise, we highlight the participation of the Regional Executive as governing organ, of producers as central agents of the process, and the low valuation given to communication between agents, which can be transformed into a significant limitation for a competitive performance of activities to be undertaken. It is necessary, then, to bring forward efforts to unify criteria and joint visions to strengthen the chain.

Keywords : social capital; rural development; networks.

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