Productivity and Resilience of Small and Medium-Sized Aquaculture Enterprises During COVID-19: Evidence from Mexico and Colombia

Abstract

This study validates and applies a quantitative recommendation scale designed to assess the impact of strategies adopted by small and medium-sized aquaculture enterprises (SMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A case study was conducted on the performance of two aquaculture models under crisis conditions: organized shrimp farms in Sinaloa (Mexico) and individual artisanal aquaculture SMEs in El Banco, Magdalena (Colombia). The methodological approach combined a cross-sectional survey, descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to evaluate the scale’s reliability and construct validity. Results from Sinaloa revealed strong positive correlations between productivity, market adaptation, technological adoption, and contingency strategies, with the highest association observed between contingency strategies and productivity ((Formula presented.)). In contrast, SMEs in El Banco exhibited lower integration of technologies and weaker links between strategic responses and productivity, reflecting structural constraints such as informality, limited institutional support, and reduced access to financing. The scale showed an acceptable but preliminary level of internal consistency ((Formula presented.)) and acceptable factorial indices for an exploratory validation phase. Complementary convergent validity measures (CR and AVE) indicated low internal coherence, which reinforces the preliminary nature of the scale and the need for future refinement. Due to the heterogeneous nature and descriptive treatment of the Colombian data, the cross-country analysis is interpreted as exploratory rather than strictly statistical. Even so, the findings highlight that technological adoption, market diversification, and the implementation of health protocols were decisive for maintaining resilience and productivity during crisis scenarios. This research contributes theoretically, by providing initial evidence supporting an original measurement instrument, and practically, by offering policymakers and entrepreneurs a contextualized diagnostic tool to design evidence-based strategies that strengthen organizational resilience and sustainable productivity in aquaculture SMEs. Further validation in other regions and productive sectors is recommended to confirm the scale’s broader generalizability.