Maize Landraces and Drought: Seed Systems in San Miguel del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Maize diversity in southern Mexico is threatened as climate change and sociopolitical factors limit the ability of small-scale farmers to continue agricultural production. Between 2017 and 2019, I conducted ten months of ethnographic research on maize agriculture in San Miguel del Valle (San Miguel), a Zapotec community in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca. In San Miguel, agricultural production is declining due to seasonal droughts that have increased in frequency and intensity in recent generations. Farmers who continue to plant maize use exclusively their own or locally acquired seeds of native landraces. Worsening seasonal droughts play a significant role in determining what seeds farmers plant and whether farmers choose to continue planting. Farmers plant locally sourced seeds partly because they believe these to be the only available seeds that will produce a harvest in their fields. This points to important interactions between environmental conditions, seed choice, and farmers' livelihoods. I contribute to existing literature on maize diversity and in situ conservation by using an ethnographic approach to describe seed saving practices and networks in San Miguel.

Water productivity at two sowing dates of simple white grain maize hybrids

“…In Mexico, maize breeding has made great advances in recent years (Woodmansee, 2022). These advances correspond to the need to produce more food, decrease the volumes of imported maize (Hernández-López, 2022) and thus contribute to national food sovereignty (Padilla-Fidencio et al, 2022).…”

Morphology and yield components of single hybrids white and yellow maize in the Yaqui Valley

“…In recent years, there has been a strong focus on the maintenance of native breeds as part of germplasm conservation systems. Important efforts are also being made to continuously improve morphological and yield traits through hybridization in specific ecosystems (Woodmansee, 2022).…”

Variación Fenotípica Entre Poblaciones Precoces De Maíz Nativo De Oaxaca

“…La sequía, escasez o irregularidad de lluvias, generan pérdidas parciales o totales de la cosecha de maíz, y tienen efectos socioeconómicos mayores cuando ocurren en terrenos de familias tradicionales con escasos recursos económicos y de subsistencia. Este es un fenómeno recurrente anual en Oaxaca y se evidencia en diferentes regiones del país o del mundo como parte de los efectos de cambios climáticos (Ureta et al, 2020;Woodmansee, 2022). Una estrategia de respuesta desde el mejoramiento genético es, recurrir a los acervos genéticos de los bancos de germoplasma para generar variedades mejoradas o recurrir a la evaluación de poblaciones nativas preservadas in situ en manos de los agricultores e iniciar una selección recurrente.…”