Environmental Impact of Changes in Production Strategies in Tropical Mexico

This paper examines how traditional multicropping milpa systems have been abandoned in a locality in southeast Veracruz. In a relatively short period of time, the economic and social fabric that allowed the people of Soteapan to maintain these production strategies was seriously disrupted. In addition, economic forces undermined the capacity of the time-honored milpa production systems to provide food security and improve household livelihoods. Trade liberalization intensified price reductions of the most important crops while support for agriculture through public policies was curtailed. A direct consequence is the weakening and abandonment of milpa systems with important negative environmental effects. Because agro-biodiversity is a critical component of sustainable agriculture, new policies are needed to recover the capacity to guarantee food security and to continue to provide important environmental services.