Redesign of the traditional Mesoamerican agroecosystem based on participative ecological intensification: Evaluation of the soil and efficiency of the system

Reyna-Ramírez, Cristian A.; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Luis Manuel; Vela-Correa, Gilberto; Etchevers-Barra, Jorge D.; Fuentes-Ponce, Mariela

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2018.06.013

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Flores-Sánchez et al [ 70 ] showed that milpa production could be improved through better plant nutrition. Reyna-Ramírez et al [ 71 ] found higher milpa production in organic systems. Since weeding is the most laborious activity in the milpa , Parsons et al [ 72 ] recommended using herbicides mid-season to avoid harming companion crops.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of the traditional milpa in food security and nutritional self-sufficiency in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico

et al. 2021

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Around 30% of global food is produced by smallholder farmers, yet they constitute the most food-insecure group. In Mexico, food self-sufficiency is declining. Rural policies in the country have stimulated the production of cash crops to the detriment of the traditional intercropping system, the milpa. Such a decline may have negative consequences for the food security of subsistence farmers. This study aimed to assess changes in nutritional self-sufficiency over the last 30 years and the role of milpa systems in food security for two communities in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico. The study used satellite images, censuses, and field data to estimate food production. Three cropping systems, monoculture of maize, monoculture of common bean, and the milpa were compared in terms of nutrients and vitamins produced. Furthermore, a household typology was developed for each community to contrast nutritional self-sufficiency levels between the different household types. Results showed that the milpa produced more volume of food per area compared to the other systems. The milpa also produced all the nutrients and vitamins (except for B12) required to feed at least 2 persons ha-1. Monocultures of maize lacked vitamins A, B9, B12, and C, and the common bean lacked vitamins A, B12, and C. While farmers recognized the importance of the milpa, they preferred monocultures due to the reduced labor demands of this system. Households that obtained most of their income from off-farm activities had the lowest nutritional self-sufficiency. Enhancing nutritional self-sufficiency through crop diversification has the potential to not only improve the nutrition of subsistence farmers, but also to enhance ecosystem service provision, promote biodiversity conservation and restoration, and improve resilience to climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of the traditional milpa in food security and nutritional self-sufficiency in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico

et al. 2021

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“…Furthermore, soils at both sites are high in organic matter, which may reduce the effects of fertilization or acidity (Aitken et al, 1990). Little is known about the correct fertilization of Mexican maize landraces, especially on hillsides, even though farmers often apply fertilizers (Reyna-Ramírez et al, 2018). Landrace fertilization should be studied in dedicated field trials in the different agro-ecologies of Mexico, in order to provide adequate recommendations to the local farmers.…”

Section: Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

Innovating Traditional Production Systems Through On-Farm Conservation Agriculture and Agroforestry Research

Fonteyne

Avendaño²,

Sanchez³

et al. 2022

Front. Agron.

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Maize (Zea mays L.), the staple crop of Mexico, is often produced by smallholder farmers on sloping terrains. Historically, little agronomic research has been performed under the conditions of these farmers to support them in the sustainable intensification of their production systems. We set up trials at two locations in the state of Oaxaca to evaluate conservation agriculture and agroforestry in collaboration with local farmers. Crop diversification through crop rotations, multicropping, relay cropping or agroforestry increased system yields the most, by up to 1.4 t ha−1 in Teopoxco and 1.7 t ha−1 in Tamazulapam. Increased input use through increased fertilization or liming did not increase profitability enough to justify their use. Zero tillage and residue retention increased yields and reduced production costs. Conservation agriculture with agroforestry was a high-yielding, profitable system that also reduced farmers' risk by providing several harvests per year. The most profitable combinations of agroforestry and conservation agriculture could produce up to $4,854 USD ha−1 in Teopoxco and $2,143 USD ha−1 in Tamazulapam, while the control treatments in the same sites and years produced $175 USD ha−1 and $92 USD ha−1 respectively. In several years the main crop failed, while the trees were able to produce due to their different growing season compared to maize. Through adaptive investigation under farmers' conditions, sustainable intensification of traditional production system is possible with low-cost changes that are locally adapted and within farmers' possibilities.

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“…Adicionalmente, el incremento del pH por la aplicación de enmiendas orgánicas es uno de los factores que mejoran la disponibilidad de nutrimentos, particularmente P (Reyna-Ramírez et al, 2018). La mayor concentración de B en suelo del huerto de Valle de Bravo se asoció con mayor contenido de MO.…”

Section: Fertilidad Del Suelounclassified

Rendimiento, calidad y comportamiento poscosecha de frutos de aguacate ‘Hass’ de huertos con diferente fertilización

García-Martínez

Cortés-Flores

López-Jiménez

et al. 2021

Remexca

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En frutales, la productividad difiere entre huertos debido a la condición particular del estatus nutrimental de los árboles, fertilidad del suelo, portainjerto, sanidad del cultivo y manejo agronómico. El objetivo de esta investigación fue comparar el rendimiento, calidad y comportamiento poscosecha de frutos de aguacate ‘Hass’ en dos huertos con diferente manejo de la fertilización. El primero se ubicó en Valle de Bravo y el segundo en Villa de Allende, Estado de México. La evaluación se realizó en 2017. En cada huerto se midió el rendimiento, calidad, comportamiento poscosecha y extracción de nutrimentos por los frutos. Además, se diagnosticó el estatus nutrimental del árbol y la fertilidad del suelo. Los frutos del huerto de Valle de Bravo superaron a los de Villa de Allende en rendimiento, peso, longitud, diámetro y concentración y densidad de aceite, sin embargo, presentaron menor firmeza y pérdida de peso. Los aguacates de Valle de Bravo tuvieron mayor concentración de K, S, Zn y B, los de Villa de Allende concentraron más Ca, Fe, Cu y Mn. En Valle de Bravo los árboles mostraron deficiencias de Ca, S, Cu, Mn, Zn y B, mientras que, en Villa de Allende, los elementos deficientes fueron K, S, Zn y B. En conclusión, el mayor rendimiento de fruto obtenido en el huerto de Valle de Bravo se relacionó con el mejor estatus nutrimental de los árboles y mayor fertilidad del suelo.

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Redesign of the traditional Mesoamerican agroecosystem based on participative ecological intensification: Evaluation of the soil and efficiency of the system

Cited by 13 publications

References 30 publications

The importance of the traditional milpa in food security and nutritional self-sufficiency in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico

The importance of the traditional milpa in food security and nutritional self-sufficiency in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico

Innovating Traditional Production Systems Through On-Farm Conservation Agriculture and Agroforestry Research

Rendimiento, calidad y comportamiento poscosecha de frutos de aguacate ‘Hass’ de huertos con diferente fertilización

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