Evaluación de la producción Ovina en el agroecosistema de Páramo en el municipio de Cerrito, Santander.

Abstract

Worldwide, sheep farming is considered a livestock activity of great importance, due to the need to meet the demand for sheep meat in human food. On the other hand, some indicators promise that this activity, if carried out in a technical, organized and business manner, is profitable. This, among other reasons, was what motivated the development of this research, whose objective was to make a diagnosis of sheep production and evaluate the impact of the system's sustainability on the paramo agroecosystem, in the Municipality of Cerrito, department of Santander. In order to achieve a reality about sheep production in the sector, the type of applied research was mixed, that is, a quantitative and a qualitative phase. To collect the information, in the first phase of the project, a survey composed of 16 components, with multiple-choice answer questions, previously validated by experts, was applied to 15 sheep farmers. This allowed the characterization of the production system and the georeferencing of the farms. To analyze the results, univariate and multivariate statistical methods were applied using a significance level of 5% and the statistical software was R version 4.1. In the next phase, through a participatory action methodology, the most relevant aspects of each of the environmental, social and economic dimensions or factors of the project were selected. In the development of participatory workshops and focus groups, aspects of sheep production in the region were also analyzed and with them a DOFA matrix was built, finding that the sheep project in said ecosystem is sustainable and represents an economic and viable alternative for generate food security and therefore improve the quality and living conditions of families. Finally, a comprehensive plan of strategies was built that seeks to respond to the critical points of sheep production for the analyzed sector.