Maintaining the Coffee Canopy: Understanding Change and Continuity in Central Veracruz

This paper examines land-use changes and continuities following historic price declines and withdrawal of government support for coffee cultivation in Veracruz, Mexico. A time series analysis of satellite imagery from the municipalities of Xico and Coatepec was carried out to assess changes in one of Latin America's oldest coffee-producing regions. Two case study communities were selected for in-depth assessment, including semi-structured interviews, household surveys and participant observation. This study demonstrates while small parcels were converted to new land-uses, 82 % of coffee/forest remained intact during the height of the global coffee crisis. I document how smallholders maintained historic agro-ecological spaces in the wake of destabilizing economic reforms. I argue cultural identity and access to new livelihood options combine to subsidize reproduction of coffee forests on the landscape.