Territorial development is a broad and multidimensional approach that can be applied in the empirical field to transform the economic, social and environmental dynamics of the territory conceived as a social construction, whose main objective is to improve the well-being of rural societies. It is based on structural changes in the productive and institutional dynamics, highlighting the role of rural women in the performance of entrepreneurial activities that contribute to poverty reduction, employment and income generation, among other fundamental aspects to promote the improvement of the quality of life of the population and the competitiveness of rural territories. The objective of this study was to analyze the role of rural women in the promotion of enterprises that contribute to sustainable territorial development. For this purpose, an empiricist-inductivist epistemological approach was used, whose postulates underpinned the use of the quantitative method. The information was collected from 73 rural women entrepreneurs of the popular market (68 people) and 5 representatives of the ShunGo Foundation of the city of Latacunga, province of Cotopaxi, through the application of a questionnaire submitted to expert validation. Among the main findings of the research, the role of the entrepreneurial woman for the sustainable development of the locality from the economic, social and environmental approach through business activities mainly oriented to the agricultural and livestock sector stands out

Tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) is a key crop for Andean indigenous communities, offering proteins and fats. Both the pods and seeds of tarwi are consumed, either in their tender (immature) state or as dried, fully ripe seeds. Tarwi, like other Lupinus species, contains high alkaloid levels in its fruits and seeds that must be removed before consumption. This study evaluated the fat, protein, fibre, and alkaloid contents of four cultivars at five maturity stages ranging from 180 to 212 days after sowing. Samples of the pods and the seeds were analysed to determine their colour and protein, crude fibre, fat, and alkaloid contents. The results showed that while the protein concentration in the pods decreased as the fruits matured, the protein content in the seeds increased, reaching approximately 41%. Moreover, the pods exhibited a significant decrease in alcohol content, with the values dropping below 1% at the senescent (dry) stage for all the cultivars. In contrast, the alkaloid levels in the seeds remained stable from 196 days after sowing in the Guaranguito, Andean, and Ecuadorian cultivars, with concentrations around 4%. The present study showed that as the pods matured, their overall protein content decreased, while their seed protein content increased to around 41%. The alkaloid levels in the pods dropped below 1% in the dry stage, while the seed alkaloid levels remained stable at around 4% in the Guaranguito, Andean, and Ecuadorian cultivars after 196 days. However, in the Peruvian cultivar, the alkaloid content remained constant starting from 188 days after sowing, with concentrations just over 3%. This result suggests that as the pods mature, their alkaloid content decreases, while the alkaloid levels in the seeds stabilise from around 188 to 196 days after seeding. Consequently, the alkaloid contents found in the seeds likely originate from other aerial parts of the plant and are not significantly increased by the pods.

In this study, the nutritional characteristics of two formulations were studied: A fermented beverage and tempeh. Green seeds from four different cultivars of tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) were used: Andino, Guaranguito, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian. The seeds were first debittered, and then, they were fermented, using two inoculum doses and two fermentation times. For the fermented beverage, Saccaromyces cerevisae was used at doses of 1.5 and 2.5% dry weight and fermentation times of 72 and 96 h. For the tempeh, the inoculum used was the Rhizopus oligosporus strain NRRL 2710 at doses of 0.015 and 0.025% dry weight and fermentation times of 48 and 72 h. The alcoholic strength, total solid soluble, and pH in the fermented beverage were analyzed, while proximal analysis was performed for both the fermented beverage and tempeh. The results indicate that, in all cases, the Andino cultivar produced a beverage with higher alcoholic strength, regardless of the inoculum concentration and fermentation time. In both the fermented beverage and tempeh, a varietal effect was found for protein and crude fiber. The Andino cultivar had the highest protein, fat, and fiber content. The alkaloid content was similar in the beverage and tempeh, but the effect of fermentation was markedly increased with the higher inoculum dose and longer fermentation time. The alkaloid content was highest in the Peruvian cultivar, while it was similar in the remaining three cultivars. Tarwi grains have a high nutritional value, but the grain is traditionally used dry. In this study, we used green grain, which contains lower alkaloid content. Moreover, the crop cycle is shortened, and it can be used in the manufacture of fermented drinks and tempeh. In this way, we show that it is valid to use green grain instead of dried grain, constituting an improvement in the traditional use of lupine grain, and our study shows that it is possible to make both fermented drink and tempeh with green grain, showing the influence of the genotype and dosage starter.

La presente investigación se llevó a cabo en el cantón Latacunga, Parroquia José Guango Bajo, Barrio Centro, con el objetivo de realizar un análisis sobre el desperdicio de alimentos que se da en la zona para diseñar la propuesta de implementación del Banco de alimentos UTC. Se utilizó la metodología de la herramienta de kobotoolbox que permitió levantar los resultados de la encuesta. Se aplicó el muestreo aleatorio estratégico para la aplicación de 2.481 encuestas distribuidas de la siguiente manera; se aplicó a 700 productores agrícolas, 860 a consumidores y 921 a comercializadores. Este estudio se enfoca en el contexto del desperdicio. Los resultados detallan la carencia normativa e inconvenientes derivados de la composición del sistema, de igual manera las encuestas informan que la mayoría de las personas desperdician los alimentos, 30% en los hogares, 25% comercialización, 25% almacenamiento mientras que en la distribución de los alimentos 20%. El 80% de los encuestados afirman que sería una buena iniciativa la propuesta del Banco de Alimentos UTC para la ciudad de Latacunga la cual beneficiara a las personas vulnerables del sector.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered the most devastating disease of citrus plants because of the damage it causes, its difficulty in diagnosis, and its speed of dissemination, mainly due to the international trade in plant propagation material and its vectors Diaphorina cilri and Trioza erylreae. Nowadays, there is no effective treatment for HLB, so early detection is necessary to mitigate its spread to eradicate infected trees. In 2016, Colombia confirmed the presence of HLB in its territory, so there is a need to prepare this research to determine the risk level and the options for adequate phytosanitary measures to exclude the introduction of the HLB to Ecuador; the study with documentary bibliographic methodology uses an adaptation to "Work Guide for the preparation of Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) studies per Pest" established by "Agrocality" under Resolution 0002 of January 03, 2020, which comprises three stages supported by scientific-technical information that allowed to identify a high-risk level of introduction of HLB to Ecuador and the options of phytosanitary measures to avoid the introduction and dispersion of HLB; among these are the prohibition of importing citrus propagating material from countries with HLB, production of certified plants, strengthening border control s, to control the vector.

The agri-food industry faces challenges and opportunities in sourcing new raw materials for fermented products, driven by changing consumer priorities in health, sustainability, and diversity in this study evaluated hibiscus extracts prepared at 0.62, 1.25, and 2.50 g dried flowers per 1000 mL of water and examined the effect of fermentation with a Scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) over 60 h on physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant compounds, microbiology, color (CIELAB), proximate composition, minerals, and sensory attributes. Fermentation progress was tracked using standardized methods for pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and antioxidant capacity. After fermentation, beverages were blended with maltodextrin (5 g/100 mL) and freeze-dried (−20 °C, −30 mmHg, 5 days). Treatment selection considered total polyphenols and flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, lactic acid bacteria counts, proximate and mineral composition, colorimetry, and sensory performance. The optimal treatment with formulation 0.625 g hibiscus flowers per 1000 mL with 9% panela (unrefined cane sugar)—showed 4.2 × 10³ CFU of lactic acid bacteria, 1.43 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 mL total polyphenols, 7.29 mg quercetin equivalents/100 mL flavonoids, and 93.63 µg Trolox equivalents (TE)/100 mL antioxidant capacity. Proximate composition was 0.22% protein, 0.82% ash, and 6.05% moisture; iron reached 9.36 ppm. Finally, fermentation with a Scoby of moderate hibiscus extracts (0.625 g/L) and panela (9%) enables the production of a lyophilized matrix containing viable lactic acid bacteria, bioactive compounds, and minerals. This process optimizes polyphenol retention and antioxidant capacity, resulting in a product with acceptable sensory attributes and potential as a functional beverage.