Sistema de producción de ocumo blanco (Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott) con financiamiento de FONCRAMO en el Municipio Bolívar del estado Monagas (ciclo 2001 – 2002) (Production system of new cocoyam financed by FONCRAMO at County Bolívar, Monagas State, Period 2001-2002)

Abstract

The main producer of new cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium Schott) is the Bolívar County of Monagas State, this crop has been exploited traditionally by farmers with their own money, from 1999 the Fondo de Crédito Agropecuario del Estado Monagas (FONCRAMO) begins a financial program in order to fortity this crop. In the present work, a set of new cocoyam producer financed by FONCRAMO during 2001-2002 crop cycle was studied, under a descriptive level of field research. Data were obtained applying a personal and direct survey. Social, economic and agronomic aspects were evaluated; data were tabulated and analyzed by relative and absolute frequencies. From the results the crop is handled in an empirical way with rudimentary techniques, practicing an itinerant agriculture. The social importance is observed because the crop uses a mean of 155 daily wage per hectare and roots the producer and its family to the area. The financial aspect did not represent a significant factor in the improving of life quality of beneficiaries and their family but it contributed to the rising of the sowed area, but there were not an increase of the income, because the market was saturated with the product and this caused a decrease of prices. The mean margin of profit in the surveyed population was Bs 718,528.10/ha. Speaking of the technical assistance, this did not cover the expectations. In this investigation, the disease "peste amarilla" or rust was reported by first time