Characterization of horticultural production systems of family agriculture in the Comarca Ngäbe Buglé, Panama

Abstract

To characterize the horticultural production systems in the districts of Nole Duima and Mironó
of the Ngäbe Buglé Comarca, a survey was applied to 31 producers that represent 15 percent
of the total. From the information collected, two predominant production systems were identified:
semi conventional and organic with a minimum productive surface of 4 m2 and a maximum
of 5016.00 m2. Two areas of horticultural production can be distinguished, the middle zone
from 600 to 1000 msnm and the high zone from the 1001 msnm until 1556 msnm. Regarding
crop diversity, in the high zone 41 percent have more than three types of vegetables and 28.57
percent in the middle zone. Regarding risks and environmental vulnerability, 50 percent of the
systems reported drought and wind damage and 50 percent from pests. Crop management
and other factors have implications in the productive and social environment that indicate the
predominance of conventional production in the middle and organic systems in the high zone.