From the peasant economy to the management of a family microenterprise in Tepotzotlán, State of Mexico: A case study

Abstract

In general, family farming in Latin America is a precarious endeavor. The objective of this work was to recognize the business management elements of human, material and economic resources required by a peasant economy located in the Municipality of Tepotzotlan, State of Mexico in order to proceed with the necessary training that would allow it to move to an economy in transition and achieve the formation of an agricultural family microenterprise. The case study method was used, information obtained through structured interviews and direct observation was analyzed. The results show a peasant economy of self-consumption farming, limited economic resources, and low profits. There is also little knowledge to run an agricultural business, which causes the lack of sufficient permanent income to support a family, limiting the improvement in the living conditions of its members. We see the existence of sub-communities or “guilds” made up of family members, neighbors, and friends who establish solid relations of exchange of goods and services based more on trust than economic payment and who have little interaction with other members of the community. With this basis, strategies to improve the management of their resources are proposed as well as the topics to be considered in the future to carry out the internal training- professionalization of the rural family business.