The objective of the study was to characterize small-scale dairy production systems to identify the technological preferences according to the farmer and farm characteristics and to analyze the importance and role of the information communication technologies (ICTs) in the dissemination of information related to management and livestock activities. To collect the data, a survey was applied to 170 small-scale dairy farmers from central Mexico. To characterize the farms, a factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA) were performed. To compare and identify differences between groups, a Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted. Four factors that explain 70.93% of the accumulated variance were identified; these factors explain the use of technology, production characteristics, social connections, and use of ICTs. The cluster analysis identified four groups. Group 1 was integrated by farmers with more experience and the largest farms. Group 2 had higher studies and use of ICTs. Group 3 was formed by young farmers but had a low use of technology. Group 4 contained older farmers with a low use of technology. The young farmers with higher studies have begun to incorporate ICTs into their daily activities on the farm, as observed in Group 2. Smartphones were the most used and were considered important by the farmers of the four groups, since they enable interaction with other farmers and the dissemination of topics of interest related with the farm. In conclusion, four group of farmers were differentiated; therefore, different extension approaches should be implemented to take into account the preferences and the technologies considered most important for each group. The ICTs are emerging technologies among small-scale dairy farmers to communicate information related to livestock management, mainly by young farmers with studies of secondary, as observed in Group 2.

ResumenLa participación de las mujeres en actividades agropecuarias en México ha sido invisibilizada puesto que son los hombres quienes toman las decisiones y ostentan el control sobre los medios productivos. Por el contrario, en el ámbito doméstico, la participación masculina no parece tener una contribución significativa ni visible, ya que son las mujeres las responsables de estos espacios. Este proceso de invisibilización de ambos géneros condujo este artículo hacia la exploración de los espacios y las relaciones de género que conforman la estructura social en el modelo (granja) producción de leche en pequeña escala en el Centro de México. Utilizando el método etnográfico fue posible definir al espacio físico como un componente básico de interacción y de relaciones entre lo femenino y lo masculino, y entre lo productivo y no productivo. Así, delimitaron dos espacios físicos de dominancia masculina: el terreno productivo y el establo, y de dos de dominancia femenina: la vivienda y el cuidado de la salud, y la milpa de traspatio. Se identificaron convergencias de ambos géneros en todos los espacios físicos y las actividades asignadas a través de esta estructura de género; aunque invisibles, soportan la reproducción social del modelo.Palabras clave: espacios rurales, ganadería, invisibilidad de géne-ro, roles domésticos. IntRoduccIónE n la mayor parte del estado de México, las actividades lecheras se desarrollan en esquemas de producción de pequeña escala, con AbstRActThe participation of women in agricultural and livestock activities in México has been made invisible because it is the men who make decisions and have control over the productive means. On the contrary, in the domestic sphere, the masculine participation does not seem to have a significant or visible contribution, since it is the women who are responsible for these spaces. This process of invisibilization of both genders led this article towards the exploration of the spaces and gender relations that make up the social structure in the small-scale dairy production model (farm) in central México. Using the ethnographic method, it was possible to define the physical space as a basic component for interaction and relationships between the feminine and the masculine, and between the productive and the non-productive. Thus, two physical spaces of masculine dominance were established: productive land and barn, and two of feminine dominance: household and health care, and the backyard milpa. Convergences of both genders were identified in all physical spaces and the activities assigned through this gender structure, although invisible, support the social reproduction of the model.

Se caracterizan los modos de vida rurales desarrollados por los pobladores de Raíces, Zinacantepec, que se ubica dentro del perímetro del área de protección de flora y fauna Nevado de Toluca (APNT). Los datos mostrados fueron obtenidos a partir del uso de métodos cualitativos, de donde se analizaron 29 grupos domésticos seleccionados a partir de un muestreo no probabilístico. Se detectaron tres modos de vida en la región: modo de vida agrícola, del empleado en el sector servicios y jornalero agrícola. En conclusión, se requiere que el Estado desarrolle un plan de manejo integral que considere los tres modos de vida rurales detectados en el APNT, puesto que en el actual programa de manejo no se contemplan.

The aim of the study was to analyze the role of small-scale dairy farms in central Mexico in combating rural poverty from a gender perspective. Specifically, it was determined whether these production systems generated sufficient income for alleviating poverty and purchasing the basic food basket. Two hundred and twelve farmers were selected through snowball sampling. To maintain a gender perspective, female-headed farms were considered as an independent group, and male-headed farms were grouped according to multivariate statistics. Two official indicators of poverty were considered in the economic analysis: income and the extreme poverty line. Factor analysis identified four factors that explained 66.10% of accumulated variance. The cluster analysis identified five groups of farms headed by males. Then, a comparative analysis was carried out for the six groups, including the female-headed group (FG). The economic analysis revealed that, if 52% of income are production costs, groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 generated sufficient gross income to purchase the basic food basket to the household of the area. However, the FG and group 5 did not generate sufficient gross income to purchase the food basket. In contrast, if 70% of income are productions costs, only groups 1 and 4 generated sufficient gross income. It can be concluded that small-scale dairy farms generate sufficient daily income under certain conditions for the purchase of the basic food basket and, therefore, help to fight poverty in rural families, especially in groups 1 and 4. In the case of the FG and groups 2, 3, and 5, dairy production along with the diversification of productive activities and backyard activities supports the livelihoods of rural families. It is recommended that existing gender norms be further explored because these could directly influence the motivation of farmers, particularly female producers, to adopt or reject agricultural and livestock technologies.

Sobrepeso y obesidad en preescolares y escolares de una comunidad periurbana de origen otomí del Valle de Toluca, México Overweight and obesity in preschool and school children from a periurban community of Otomi origin of the Toluca Valley, Mexico