An Interdisciplinary Methodological Proposal for the Analysis of Commercial Relationships in the Costa Rican Agricultural Sector: The Case of the Bean Subsector

Abstract

The complex web of power relations generates direct influence on the construction of agricultural policies and in the trade processes. In such a sensitive sector like agriculture, there becomes more important the recognition, identification and
analysis of the relationships that are structured both at sectorial and sub-sectorial level. This dissection is the one approach that could allow a renewed public policy and assertive strategies for the agricultural sector. This article is the product of scientific research called “Dynamics of power in the agrifood chain beans from Costa Rica: a study from Seal Support producer of beans, “ which describes the relationship between economic, commercial and social groups within the bean´s
agrichain. Particularly this article provides a methodology to analyze power relations in the agricultural sector, building on the experience gained by analyzing the beans subsector of Costa Rica.