CONSTRUCTS OF QUALITY CACAO PRODUCE: AN ALTERNATIVE SCALE

This study aimed to develop and validate an alternative scale to identify the construct of quality cacao production. The researcher combined the technical and behavioral dimensions to understand how production practices and environmental conditions affect cacao quality. This study employed a non-experimental research design, a sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and a 60-item survey questionnaire, based on a literature review and expert validation, with 300 respondents. An exploratory factor analysis was used to code and analyze the respondents' answers. The item statement with the highest Content Validity Ratio (CVR) was retained for the final survey questionnaire. In contrast, those statements in the item that failed to reach the 0.80 threshold were rejected. A total of 43 variables passed this threshold. These extracted factors represent the multidimensional nature of cacao quality and include: farming management, post-harvest processing techniques, cultivation of cacao varieties, environmental conditions, farmers' socio-economic conditions, bean protection strategies, and health, nutrients, and growth. These constructs collectively form the validated framework that explains the technical and behavioral dimensions influencing cacao production quality among farmers.