Caaguazu: understanding its territorial economy

• Main Author: FERNANDO MASI
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Asunción 2020-11-01
• Series: Población y Desarrollo
• Subjects: territorial-development; enterprises; small-agriculture; farmer; agro-manufacturing
• Online Access: http://scielo.iics.una.py/pdf/pdfce/v26n51/2076-054x-pdfce-26-51-37.pdf

This work has consisted in studying territorial and productive capacities of Caaguazu to create employment and improve performance of small and medium enterprises. The problem facing this territory has consisted in the existence of asymmetries as a result of disparities provoked by productive performances in agriculture, manufacturing and services. For this purpose, the eco nomic and productive potential of this territory has been analyzed as well as the characteristics of urban agglomeration. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been used in this work. The quantitative analysis resulted in the construction of economic indicators using data from the Economic Census 2011 and the Household Permanent Survey, both from the DGEEC. In terms of the qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were carried out with entrepreneurs and small agriculture producers. Then, districts of the department were grouped into regions ac cording to similarities in their productive conditions and economic organizations. The principal findings of this work have been related to labor precariousness and the danger of extinction of small agriculture as a consequence of a process of productive transformation in Caaguazu. Recommendations on public policies have been made for this territory to face these challenges.