Evaluation of family agriculture production systems through thresholds for the construction of sustainable proposals, Penipe Canton

Peasant family farming is one of the main suppliers and is responsible for guaranteeing food sovereignty. A particular interest is given to the functioning of the productive system, which seeks to determine, through the analysis of critical points and thresholds, to define sustainable alternatives, translating the general principles of sustainability into definitions and operational practices. The objective of this study was to valuate family farming production systems through productive thresholds with the purpose of proposing sustainable alternatives for the improvement of the agricultural system in the Penipe canton. The methodology of this study included the establishment and generation of attributes, diagnostic criteria, and critical points to make a comparison with the productive thresholds, applied to nine farms representative of the three productive typologies. In this study, the three production systems of the Penipe canton were evaluated. We proposed alternatives for each of them, such as the implementation of new agroecological management strategies, the generation of organic fertilizers, the production of bio inputs, the strengthening of interdisciplinary approaches through the adoption of technological innovations and research, the increased participation of different owners throughout the production process, and the promotion of associativity, which provides the design of new alternative production systems. In conclusion, specialized family farming poses alternatives for improvement in terms of the provision of quality seeds, technical management, greater management, and government support. Diversified family agriculture will be ontained by government management and execution, training, adoption of innovations, dependence on external resources, crop risk, yields, access to credit. In the productive aspect, deficiencies were found in root development, pending involvement, irrigation water, organic matter, soil cover, and subsistence family agriculture, followed by land tenure and occupation, social connection, government management and execution, training, adoption of innovations, dependence on external resources, crop risk, yields, access to credit, as well as productive aspect deficiencies in root development, affectation of the slope, irrigation water, drainage, organic matter, soil cover, management, and plant development.