Discussing an Agroecological Transition in Chiapas, Mexico

Juana and Faustino from DESMI

April 18, 2024

A Conversation about Community-Based Work in Agroecology:

To continue my journey of visiting organizations that work in areas of agroecology and rural development in San Cristobal de Las Cases, today I visited the office of DESMI. I was received by two of DESMI's workers, Faustino and Juana. We sat in their library where we were surrounded by a collection of books about the history of Chiapas, rural development, and agrarian studies. Our conversation goes into the social and political context of indigenous agricultural communities in Chiapas. Faustino and Juana talk about agroecology as not just a practice of farming methods but also as a political formation.

Book recommendations by Juana and Faustino from their library

DESMI's Work

DESMI works with indigenous and mestizo campesino communities. In total, they work with approximately 39 communities! They do this work with a small team of 9 people. The field team consists of just 5 people.

DESMI stands for the Desarrollo Económico y Social de los Mexicanos Indígenas, which in english means the Economic and Social Development of Indigenous Mexicans. They were founded in 1969 as a civil society organization that adheres to the Zapatists's Sixth Declaration of the Lacandonan Jungle. The Zapatistas are a political movement in Chiapas that has worked in defense of the autonomy of indigenous groups and the control of indigenous territories since the 1990s. This declaration reiterates the Zapatista's support for indigenous peoples and extends the cause to include "all the exploited and dispossessed of Mexico." In the state of Chiapas, indigenous people comprise roughly one third of the population.

Note:

Mestizo is a word used to describe people of mixed ancestry with a white European and an indigenous background. While mestizo communities speak Spanish, indigenous communities often speak their indigenous languages

Campesino is the Spanish word for peasant or small-scale farmer (generally speaking)

"Conventional" Agriculture versus Agroecology

In Chiapas, most of the food production is based in conventional agriculture. "Conventional" agriculture is a term that refers to agricultural practices that use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and hybrid seeds. However, many agroecological advocates criticize this term, arguing that there is nothing conventional or normal about this type of chemical-input-based farming. To provide and reinforces alternatives, DESMI works with in many surrounding communities in agroecological practices and community organizing.

The Loss of Native, Indigenous Agroecological Practices

DESMI and the organized communities work to promote greater consciousness around the effects of conventional agriculture versus agroecological farming. Juana emphasized that agroecological practices aren't something new that has been invented. Rather, these practices come from the ancestors of these same communities and have been implemented for many generations. However, over the past decades, different governments have carried out rural development programs that promote agro-chemicals and GMO seeds, and as a result, the traditional practices of previous generations have been replaced in many communities by conventional agriculture. Through DESMI's work in community organizing and eco-technical support, some families have transitioned back to agroecological farming practices. It is a slow process of transitioning to agroecology in some places, but in Juana's words, "Va dandose" which means it is coming along or making progress.

"Why has conventional agriculture (using agrochemicals) become so common in the communities?"

I asked Juana and Faustino, "Why has conventional agriculture (using agrochemicals) become so common in the communities?" and "What does their work in agroecology look like day to day in the communities?"

Government Led Programs for Conventional Farming

Faustino replied saying that different regions have very different experiences due to different factors and contexts. Their geographical location, the crops they produce, the history of the community, etc. are all factors and conditions that influence their experiences and agricultural practices. Faustino explained that in a region called Teopisca and out towards the coast, the communities predominantly produce corn. Across this region, the government has implemented programs since the 1970s that hand out chemical fertilizers, herbicides, seeds, etc. Farmers started trying these inputs little by little and eventually they were introduced throughout the region, beginning the conversion to what is called "conventional agriculture". The introduction of these practices through government-led programs affected the traditional way of working that the communities had practiced for many generations prior. Many of the corn-producing regions (zonas maiceras) are predominately mestizo campesinos. Faustino says that, if he recalls correctly, Amatenango del Valle is one of the only communities that has preserved its traditional, indigenous practices of corn or maize farming.

Remote, Less Accessible Communities have Preserved Traditions

Another factor that influences the preservation of agroecological traditions in communities is their proximity or ability to be reached or accessed. Some of the communities at higher altitudes or in rainforest regions are more isolated from the state and even in some cases out of reach and communication, lacking roads and infrastructure to enter them. Therefore, in the zona altas and the zona norte, there are communities where they still don't use agrochemicals and the genetic biodiversity and knowledge of ancestral practices is still intact. In these regions, therefore, DESMI doesn't talk about an agroecological transition but rather a strengthening of agoecological systems. This an example of how the approach and methodology of their work changes depending on the context of the community.

"What does their work in agroecology look like day to day in the communities?"

Demonstrative, Agroecological Plots

In places like Teopisca where agrochemicals have been strongly implemented and adopted by farmers, DESMI's approach and methodology includes experimental spaces and plots to demonstrate the productive capacity of agroecological methods. The plots focus on the improvement of soil health and fertility which is very important after years of chemical inputs. In these regions, farmers often view crop production primarily as an economic source of income and there is an emphasis on high production levels for sale to market. Therefore, in these communities they weigh the options and compare between conventional versus agroecological based on the level production or yield they give. The farmers in these communities want to know what the yields will be with agroecological methods versus using agrochemicals.

Emphasizing Ecological, Social, and Health Benefits

However, farmers are not always considering or giving value to the ecological, social, and health benefits that agroecological practices provide such as seed conservation, crop diversification, the restoration of native forest species in the milpa, etc. Faustino explains that the preservation of native, forest species is a very interesting topic in regions where farmers have stopped using agrochemicals. In the places where they work in the region of Tumbalá, for example, after two years of stopping the use of agrochemicals in the milpa, the forests returned and there is a regeneration of life in the soil and the many species that inhabit it. In places and communities where there has been less presence of agrochemicals, Faustino finds that the work is easier. In these communities where this knowledge is preserved, there is already a more integral way of seeing agroecology which includes taking care of the forests, the water, the earth, the seeds, etc.

History, Context, and Differentiated Experiences of Indigenous and Mestizo Campesino Communities

This conversation about the history, context, and differentiated experiences of indigenous and mestizo campesino communities is very important when discussing agroecological transitions. For the sake of simplicity and advancing the movement of agroecology, these contextual details are often glossed over to package a neat argument. Being able to deliver a neat, shiny argument is important, but when we get into the practical implementation and asking questions about how to expand the reach of agroecology, the context of communities' histories such as their relationship with the state and other institutions are fundamental to answering complex questions of how to support the transition to agroecology and why the process has unique challenges.

What benefits does agroecology bring to the producers?

Diversified Production, Diversified Income

Faustino gave the example of a woman named Doña Reina from Teopisca. She has served as a good example of someone who doesn’t have the mindset of producing just one crop as a source of income. Rather, she works with a diversity of production—the milpa, coffee, greenhouse, fruit trees, plantains, fish, … And her income is diversified. When she has an excess of the corn harvest, she sells corn. But she also sells yuca, plantain, sweet potato, fruits, etc. in the local market.

Example of Food Security During COVID-19

In the community of Pantelhó, the majority of families work in coffee production. Many families focus on improving the value and price of their coffee, which Faustino describes as being inside the logic of the market. However, when the COVID 19 pandemic came along in 2020, many rural families didn’t have their own food production. Some families came to DESMI for support, because the income from their production of coffee didn’t cover their subsistence needs with the increased food prices. The food prices in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas nearly tripled. Meanwhile, producers like Doña Reina from Teopisca secured their food production from the diversification of their production and medicinal plants. But communities that only focused on one single production, didn’t have food security. Faustino explained that intermediaries or middle men often control the market prices and create scarcity. However, the producers who had their own food production didn’t have to worry as much about these fluctuations in food prices.

Food Sovereignty Politics

Food and nourishment are essential for rural, farming families. However, this isn’t just a question of improving agricultural practices and methods for greater production and efficiency. Juana explained that in order to achieve food sovereignty, there are many influencing factors to consider. For example, in the topic of seeds, Juana poses the question, "Who are monopolizing the seeds?" In many of the communities, seeds are now purchased rather than saved and reused. If families, communities, and households save their own seeds then they are breaking away from that closed market system controlled by large companies. By saving seeds, they are maintaining their traditions, their biological diversity and their right to autonomy. Therefore, food sovereignty isn’t just the technical implementation of new eco-techniques but also a political formation and consciousness of their rights. Food sovereignty and agroecology look at the issue of seeds, land, water, etc. from a political lens. This gets to the root of political agrarian studies. The agrarian scholar Henry Bernstein concisely summarized the agrarian political economy into a haiku: “Who owns what? Who does what? Who gets what? What so they do with the surplus/ wealth?”

Influences of Conventional Agriculture Today

Big Agro-Industry -- Bayer

A few weeks ago on a bus ride south of Chiapas near Comitán, I noticed a huge, long stretch of big greenhouses along the highway. I was curious about who they belonged to and I kept on eye out as I looked out the bus window. When I saw the gate it had the logo of "Bayer", the big Pharma corporation that bought out Monsanto in 2018. You may have heard of Monsanto, which was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation highly criticized for its toxic chemicals and its control on patented seeds. I found an online campaign that resists the interests of Bayer-Monsanto in Chiapas.

Costs of Conventional Inputs

I mentioned to Juana and Faustino that I had seen these greenhouses and asked, "Today is there still a strong influence of conventional agriculture in the region?" Faustino let out a laugh and said, "Cada vez más fuerte!" which translates to, "It's increasingly stronger!" Juana chimed in and said, "And it's not just the seeds. It's also also the land and the soil. Many businesses and corporations sell chemical fertilizers to farmers. And imagine how much of their income campesinos are spending in purchasing seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, etc. Agroecological practices work in the opposite way. The conservation of seeds and making different fertilizers from local materials in the region doesn't require additional costs for the producers. Educating communities on these themes supports local people to see the benefits of agroecology over conventional farming."

What's Standing in the way of the Agroecological Transition?

Then I asked, "With all the benefits and advantages that agroecology has for small producers, why do you all think that more producers have not caught on? What are some of the challenges that DESMI faces in getting more producers onboard?"

Control of Territory and Commons

Faustino laughed again and said, "Pues es que, al hablar de agroecologia implica el control de territorio... de los bienes comunitarios de vida" which means "Well, to talk about agroecology implies the control of land and territory... and the community commons that sustain life." This related back to the political formation that Juana had mentioned earlier. Faustino explained that until 2018, DESMI worked with support bases of the Zapatistas, a political movement in Chiapas that has worked in defense of the autonomy of indigenous groups and the control of indigenous territories. DESMI's work goes beyond technical implementation and takes a political stance. They work to build a network/ political structure formed by communities so that different communities can reflect and discuss these different topics related to agroecology. A strong emphasis is placed on the control of territories and community commons. Faustino emphasizes that the control of territory has been especially important in Chiapas since 1994 when land dispossession became a major issue.

In terms of the state intervention in campesino land rights, Faustino gives the example of the rural development and reforestation program implemented by the Mexican government called Sembrando Vida or Sowing Life. It was introduced by president López Obrador as part of Mexico's national pledge for COP-26. This program paid small farmers to reforest and plant fruit trees on their plots. I looked up the program and found several critiques and problems that resulted from the program. For example, rural households desperately needed the income from the program after the COVID 19 pandemic so campesino farmers cut down trees on their plots to make space to plant the trees the program required. As a result, the program actually caused deforestation is some cases as explained here.

Faustino argued that these government programs also aim to control indigenous and mestizo campesino lands. The Sowing Life program dictates how campesino farmers should use their land. For example, to enter the program, campesinos have to designate 2.5 hectares to fruit trees. This led to campesinos reducing the size of the milpa that is used for household food security and sovereignty.

I asked, "What is the purpose or objective of the program?" Faustino replied frankly, "To dispossess the campesinos from the land. Although they frame or paint it another way but it's no more than that." Faustino went on, "That's why it's important that we organize communities. We organize to create more consciousness in families and communities about these issues that they are living." In this work of network building, DESMI also collaborates with local networks such as the Red Nacional en Defensa de la Milpa and La Red Mayense de Guardianes y Guardianas de Semillas.

Effects of Climate Change

Faustino explained that another challenge to agroecology are the effects of climate change. The agricultural calendar isn't the same as it once was. There are irregular rains, for example, and these changes modify the productive systems. This makes farming increasingly vulnerable.

The Impacts and Influences of Agro-Industry

Faustino also highlighted issues related to the agro-industry which strongly impacts local agricultural systems in the communities. He laughed as he mentioned the issue of comida chatara or junk food, and said "Junk food is very present in communities, even though we wouldn't like it to be."

Divisions within Communities

Faustino explained that DESMI works to encourage more families to join the agroecological movement, but it doesn't mean that the entire community is participating in agroecology. Rather, there are often divisions within communities due to political affiliations and other organizations. He named one community of San Andrés as the exception-- a place where the whole community of 140 families is organized, but that is the only community that is completely organized.

DESMI works in trabajo de base or community based organizing. However, they avoid working with groups that have a strong political affiliation and are controlled by political parties or receive government programs. Rather, they work with groups that have some consciousness of these systematic problems and can organize themselves. Faustino smiled and said proudly that, "One plus or strength that DESMI has done in its 54 years of existence is work in processes of organizing. That has been a strong point throughout the journey of DESMI. We don't work with just any group or community but we organize strategically."

In summary, the most significant challenges they see for agroecology are:

1. Control of land and territories

2. The effects of climate change

3. Issues related to agro-industry

4. Divisions within communities

To Conclude...

This conversation with Juana and Faustino placed the work of agroecological within political and historical contexts that give us more insight into how we got to where we are now and why this transition is a challenge that requires different methodologies and implementation in different places. DESMI's focus on community organizing and political formation around these issues is a fundamental part of their work in agroecology. Agroecology is often described as a practice, a social movement, and a science. DESMI embraces the threefold definition of agroecology through its practical field implementation, technical assistance, community organizing, political formation, and scientific understanding of ecology and biology.

Who are Faustino and Juana?

My interview was with following two workers at DESMI:

Faustino has worked with DESMI since 2002. That means he has been with DESMI for 22 years! He has worked in agroecology, general coordination, systematization, reports, field work in the communities, and community projects.

Juana is a biologist with a focus in ecological restoration. She has worked with DESMI for two years. She earned her doctorate degree in biological sciences with an environmental and community focus. As a biological conservationist, she sees the importance of restoring local environmental and natural resources to sustain the agroecological systems that are producing food and ensuring food sovereignty for rural communities.