The survival of agriculture on the edge: Perceptions of push and pull factors for the persistence of the ancient chinampas of Xochimilco, Mexico City
Por:
Perez-Belmont, Patricia, Lerner, Amy M., Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa, Valiente, Elsa
Publicada:
1 ago 2021
Resumen:
A mixture of identities, livelihoods and a heterogeneous landscape
characterizes the communities located in the rural-urban frontier. The
perception of the inhabitants of these communities regarding
environmental and sociocultural change is linked to their livelihoods
and land use decisions. We use the case study of the ancient
agricultural chinampa system in the Xochimilco wetland of Mexico City to
understand the main threats and opportunities for peri-urban agriculture
in megacities, where the rapid displacement of agricultural land by
formal and informal settlements makes its future uncertain. We used a
household survey and semi-structured interviews to understand: 1) the
relationship between agriculture and informal urbanization, and 2) the
perception of chinampa users, considering those who are engaged in
agriculture and those who are not, regarding the factors that favor or
limit agriculture. The information from interviews was coded and
conceptualized as pull and push factors for peri-urban agriculture.
Sociocultural factors were mentioned as the main reasons that push
chinampas into agriculture abandonment, such as community erosion due to
conflicts and lack of interest from younger generations. However, those
that continue to engage in agriculture maintain a historical connection
to farming (whether they are from the region or not), and a willingness
to adapt to maintain their agricultural livelihood. We find that while
some families abandon their agricultural land, new niches become
available for migrants from other surrounding rural areas who find
opportunities to continue farming in the periurban frontier. Our
evidence suggests that the loss of peri-urban agriculture is not a
linear process towards urbanization, and that the coexistence of
housing, agriculture, and livelihood diversification can produce the
conditions needed for innovation to encourage peri-urban agriculture.
Filiaciones:
Perez-Belmont, Patricia:
Lerner, AM (Corresponding Author), Univ Calif San Diego, Dept Urban Studies & Planning, Div Social Sci, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA. Perez-Belmont, Patricia, Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Posgrad Ciencias Sostenibilidad, Mexico City, DF, Mexico. Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa, Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ecol, Lab Nacl Ciencias Sostenibilidad, Mexico City, DF, Mexico. Valiente, Elsa, Restaurac Ecol & Desarrollo AC, Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico. Lerner, Amy M., Univ Calif San Diego, Dept Urban St
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