BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE: FARM-FAMILIES IN THE WESTERN CENTRAL VALLEY REGION OF COSTA RICA

Abstract

The goal of this article is to explore, qualitatively, the ways in which farm-families located in the western Central Valley region of Costa Rica adapt to the state of the 21st century agricultural economy. The analysis draws on fieldwork from July to December 2017 and on interviews with 56 family members operating 32 small to mid-sized farms. Results suggest that either producers convert the farm project into a hobby, a part-time occupation or they fundamentally change the operations to insert themselves into new markets of tourism, education and the sale of value-added products.