Technical and entrepreneurial training was provided for two groups of young adults to prepare them for commercial production of horticultural goods under greenhouse conditions. Most participants (90%) had only basic formal education and no experience in agriculture. Both teachings were done simultaneously. Thus, they learn how to produce based on market demands, and how to operate as a business. This educational experience resulted in a high satisfaction for the participants, and gave them the skills needed for commercial production because they were able to produce and market one harvest. Their main challenge is to develop an enterprise.

The objective of this work was to characterize cactus pear production system in Axapusco, Estado de México by performing surveys among farmers and interviews to key partici pants. Most are peasants and have parcels in “ejidos” (73 %). The production system shows high variability. They plow the surface (37 %) or the subsoil (34 %). The typical density is 600 to 700 plants per hectare (38 %). The com-mon distance between plants is 4.0 m by 4.0 m (55 %). The white cactus pear (Opuntia albicarpa) is predominant in the region (74 %). Two-thirds of the farmers use manual weed control. Fresh cattle manure is used by 54 % of the farmers. Most farmers do not receive any technical assistance (96 %). Furthermore, a large proportion of the farmers said they do not receive any governmental subsidy (71 %). The most important problem for farmers is the control of pests and diseases (34 %); followed by low fruit price and orchard management (both 21 %). The lack of technical knowledge is behind those problems. Several strategies are required to solve these problems. Highlighting, that farmers have to compost of the manure, use bio-insecticides for pest control and improve their organization.