The ′′peasant livelihood-diversified agriculture- biodiversity conservation syndrome′′ in Mesoamerica. Can it persist under current globalized processes?
Garcia Barrios, Luis*,1, 1 El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico
ABSTRACT- Mesoamerican peasants are predominantly marginalized social groups that dwell in rural areas with strong limitations for large scale-industrial-type agriculture. Most of their territories are high in biodiversity, but ecologically fragile, meaning that their natural resources are prone to collapse when used beyond intensity thresholds. Mesoamerican peasant groups have always been changing. At some point in their recent history, their very modest livelihood depended on functional human densities, a rural culture, a sufficient ecological knowledge, a relatively high dependence on local resources, and a strong local regulation of natural resource use. This led to relatively low impact agricultural systems capable of mimicking, benefiting from, and coexisting with so-called natural communities. Major changes have impacted rural mesoamerica since the mid XXth century, and more so since the recent neo-liberal thrust towards global-scale business (e.g. the expansion of international agribusiness and of ′′free′′ markets, the collapse of national food systems, the migration of millions of peasants, and the development of a biodiversity market). While rural poverty still prevails, most production systems and practices that require proper biodiversity management have become dysfunctional under such conditions; few have remained relatively unchanged while very few have found privileged niches for modest development. Sustainable rural livelihoods, diversified agricultural landscapes and successful biodiversity conservation seem to depend strongly on one another, but this is widely discussed and insufficiently studied. Available data show that ecologically-based production projects, aimed at intensifying and diversifying peasant agriculture, can increase production as much as 93%, with low use of external inputs and biological impact. Examples will be presented. These projects cover only 3% of arable and permanent cropland in the region, as they receive little support and attention from governments. Social and ecological issues involved in their development and expansion are an open field for future research and action in Mesoamerican peasant territories.
SPANISH ABSTRACT- .