Abstract
A cluster analysis shows that farming families in the canton of Guatuso, Costa Rica are classified into three different types (small, medium and large producers) according to the availability of capital (physical, social, natural, human and financial) that they have. However, the most representative type in the area is families with a low availability of capital and that can be classified as small farmers. Moreover there is a direct relationship between the availability of capital for families, the scale of production and market integration; therefore, families classified as large producers have a greater availability of all kinds of capital, which increase their capacity to adjust to the international market conditions. (Résumé d'auteur)