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Building Self-Reliance: A Framework To Evaluate Smallholder Coffee Farmers’ Pursuit Of Commercialization, Colby J. Silvert, John Diaz, Laura A. Warner, T. Grady Roberts, Raul Injoque

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

This study examines the application of a self-reliance framework for practitioners and evaluators to better understand the capacities and intrinsic factors impacting smallholder coffee farmers’ commercialization behaviors. We surveyed 40 smallholder coffee producers in Peru using a quantitative instrument. Data were analyzed to determine if statistical relationships exist between farmers’ self-reliance (measured via knowledge and skills, attitudes, and aspirations) and their commercialization behaviors. Findings indicate the self-reliance framework effectively illustrates relationships between farmers’ aspirations, knowledge and skills and their commercialization behaviors, while future, additional studies are needed to better measure and understand the role of commercialization-related attitudes. Practitioners can leverage …