La desvalorización de la mano de obra del sombrero de paja toquilla y el desarrollo local-comunitario del sector “Los Valencia”, años 2024-2025.

Abstract

The research focused on addressing the phenomenon of the devaluation of artisanal labor and the local-community development of the “Los Valencia” sector, years 2024-2025. The purposes were set out to recognize whether local development is affected by the devaluation of artisanal labor, as well as the social, cultural, economic and demographic factors that interfere with the degradation of labor. For this, a qualitative methodology was implemented, applying interviews to 9 families from the Las Pampas community, 6 families from the La Pile community, and the director of the Tourism Management Department of Montecristi. The results showed that the level of profit that weavers perceive in this economic activity does not allow them to satisfy their basic needs, for its part, a low level of intervention by government institutions to improve their living conditions, as well as the appearance of intermediaries that reduces the level of profits of the weavers. The conclusions indicated a correlation between the devaluation of the artisanal labor of the “Los Valencia” families, and the local development of the communities, where this is limited by the existence of inoperative economic dynamics that keep the artisan in a precarious context, with latent needs that cannot be satisfied by remaining in a productive chain that reduces the artisan as a social actor with a low level of profits. The recommendations included regulating salaries, promoting the creation of creative industries and promoting the active participation of artisans in the productive chain.