Environmental sustainability and waste management in cocoa production systems in the southwest of Boyacá-Colombia

Abstract

The objective of this research was to know what the concept of sustainability is and how the management of agricultural residues (phytosanitary, fertilizers, biomass and inert residues) is carried out within cocoa production units in the southwest of the department of Boyacá. For this purpose, a descriptive, non-probabilistic research was carried out, applying a survey-type instrument to 52 cocoa production units in the municipalities of Miraflores, Santamaría, and Campohermoso; units belonging to 3 cocoa associations. The data revealed that there is a conception of sustainability linked to the concept of neoliberal economic growth, where environmental sustainability is not the priority, as if it is the increase in profits. On the other hand, the management of the water resource is not adequate, there is no drinking water and there is no treatment of the wastewater, which does not have any purification process before being returned to the water tributaries. Additionally, people live and work in the same workplace. Regarding the management of agricultural residues, it is evidenced that there is no knowledge or application of Good Agricultural Practices, this means that phytosanitary products and fertilizers are applied without technical supervision, the management criterion being the experience of the producer.