Viewing page 52 of 64

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

88

young man must decide how much of land to put in cof & how much subs.; since they have no control over world market price, not considered
trees take 5 yrs before bean & bean for 15 yrs, so really only plant about twice in lifetime

[[left margin]] ? [[/left margin]]

decision a zero sum game, since fixed land in village
need some cash to purchase certain things but also need subs.
don't make fine calcul. on coffee because price too erratic - seem to figure on what is worst year & what best, plant enough to obtain cash needs in worst year
decision unit the HH why is the operating unit
facts that farmer makes only rough calcul. doesn't mean decision process diff., but only that constraints & opportunities unpred.
in fact, 3 yrs after Ortiz there pol. situation blew up & best computer run on coffee prices wouldn't have helped you predict
in subsist utilities very imp (they don't


89

drink cof much) see they are both consumers & producers
if beans do better in your yard than cucumbers, but your family hates beans & loves cucumbers, utility causes you to make what otherwise might seem an irrat. decision
[[left margin]] - [[/left margin]]  young man may spend several years thinking & talking about his coffee - planning decision, since will have to live w/ for several yrs (long-range model) but subst. planting very spur of the moment & go work whenever have time; hard to predict this since owe labor to some other farmers nearby & any given day may be called (short range, opportunistic model)
not easy to make conversions in case make an error of judgement
among Indians reluctant to sell food; are reciprocities, however, shld [[should]] be able to get food this way if need for few yrs coffee prices so low that people thinking of changing to wheat - this situation didn't cause increased compet but unified commun. & people