Hello,
I will start my research project in two communitites in Veracruz and Yucatan,
in Mexico,that deals with biological management of soil fertility for corn
based agricultural systems in subsistence communitites. The research will
include a economcial analysis of three selected families in each communities
and sociocultural study to identify indigenous strategies dealing with soil
fertility and the goals for the production systems to set up the hypothesis and
bases for on farm participatory experimentation to create alternatives to the
prevailing slash and burn system (in most cases including the use of tropical
legumes). During the two following growing cycles we will follow soil organic
matter dynamics and nitrogen availability in all systems.
My question now is about the economical analysis. Is there a standard
analytical model for describing the economics in subsistence farming systems?
What would you recommend that I measure the economics in a not very complicated
way to serve as setting for the project? I intend to do participatory
observation and semistructured interviews for the sociocultural part.
I really appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Thanks you.
Isabel Sohn
sohn.8@osu.edu