Livelihoods in the municipality of rural families Tuta, Boyacá

Abstract

This research takes as its central reference of the proposed Sustainable Livelihoods (presented by the Department for International Development-DFID) to discuss ways of life that affect the living conditions of family and community dynamics of the inhabitants of the Vereda Leonera, municipality of Tuta (Boyacá), according to the type of tangible and intangible resources (capital called by the DFID) of those who have individually or collectively to meet their needs and achieve a dignified livelihood. Through ethnographic and participatory tools in the research process contributed 30 peasant families classified into two types: Traditional Farms 14 families and 16 families of diversified farms, also included 10 students from 16 to 18 years of School General Santander, mostly belonging to these families, along with this population, worked the following categories: a) Comparative analysis of the major capitals in traditional and diversified farms, b) Relationship between capitals, c) Structures, Strategies, Processes and Achievements, d ) Context of Vulnerability and e) potential for sustainability. This research affirms the systemic approach and dynamic approach to Sustainable Livelihoods showing that the relationship between different capitals is interdependent, and that determines the conditions to address the vulnerability context: the families of the two types of farms face the same shocks and trends in context, what makes them different in this respect is the life cycle where they are and the strategies they adopt to maintain the farming system as the basis of its economy.