La viabilidad de la Agroindustria Rural (AIR). El caso de las AIR de la Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, México

摘要

Following the trade liberalization processes in Latin America, some researchers have questioned the capability of Rural Agro-industries (AIR, by their abbreviation in Spanish) to generate an income level that assures wellbeing to the rural population. However, others believe that the AIR has characteristics that can enhance a dynamic process of local development. Among these, it can be mentioned: small size; capacity of rapid response and flexibility; access to specific market niches; relationship to the land; communitary and identitary embeddedness; and its ability to concentrate spatially. This article presents some lessons learned from a series of workshops on basic business management notions for the members of 16 small businesses that were developed by the consortium IICA-CIRAD-CATIE, under the frame of the Sustainable and Integrated Social Development Project for the Lacandona Jungle (PRODESIS, by its abbreviation in Spanish). The Lacandona is one of the most isolated, marginalized, and poor regions in the country. The estimations performed during the workshops showed high rates of return (i.e. between 30% and 100%) for some of these small businesses. The results show that the AIR’s could be feasible and sustainable, even in harsh conditions as those of the Lacandona. These results became a motivating factor for group consolidation and development. Additionally, the analysis performed allowed us to ascertain that for many projects in the Lacandona, the largest difficulties did not come from AIR lack of profitability, but from the unfavorable environment (i.e., basic ser vices and infrastructure), organizational weakness and a low level of group member’s capabilities.