Influence of the informal institutional environment on cocoa production in the region of Linhares / ES

cultural factor analysis and the geographical indication

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyze the influence of the informal institutional environment on the production of cocoa in the region of Linhares/ES, analyzing in a specific way the historic of cacao in Brazil and in the Espirito Santo region, and the culture aspects and local culture, of importance to the Geographical Indication (GI) context. The research is of qualitative approach and descriptive basis. In terms of procedures involved a study of multiple cases with cocoa producers in the Linhares region and an interview with the Association of Cocoa Growers of Linhares. The results point to the predominance of important informal institutional elements, such as the influence of origin, the history of a people, values and acquired knowledge. The influence of the informal institutional environment on production aspects is also observed by maintaining current production, as results from family inheritances of land, whose heirs have continued to reproduce the productive system of cocoa. The family succession, in some cases, is in the third generation. There is the influence of the neighborhood, of the friends and relatives and it is propitious for the producer to continue the business. Another factor considered important is the proximity of important producing areas of the Bahia, which influencing Linhares.

Keywords: Agribusiness. Cocoa. Informal institutional enviroment. Culture.