Integral index of sustainability of the cacao agroecological management in Baracoa, Cuba.

Abstract

The Baracoa municipality in the province of Guantánamo contributes 70% of the cocoa production in Cuba, and represents a potential for the diversification of exports. However, in its production process, a set of shortcomings which limit the obtaining of a high-quality, high-yield and ecological product were identified. In response to this scenario, the Cuban state has implemented several agroecological management actions, but there is a lack of tools to facilitate the assessment of the sustainability of this agroecosystem. The present article is aimed to design a comprehensive index for the evaluation of the sustainability of the cocoa agroecological management. The application of the procedure allows revealing the significant economic, social and environmental aspects for the design of agroecological rural development policies, especially in those areas with a significant presence of this crop from the dimensions.