The Future of Mexican Agriculture: Maiz
Successful agriculture depends on diverse factors ranging from technology and manpower to insects and climate. Some of these are directly influenced by man, the tools and strategies developed and laws put in place, others are less visibly impacted by human kind such as insect and climate patterns. The future success of Mexican crops, particularly maiz, will be impacted by each of these and other circumstances.
Campesinos have been successfully farming maiz in central Mexico for millennia. Much of this rich harvest is due to the rugged nature of the maiz plant as it is stronger and more capable of surviving tough situations than other more fragile vegetation. Workers plant and care for corn throughout vast open fields, steep mountain sides, rainy wet environments and dry arid ones. Due to the dynamic nature of maiz it is a part of every group of people, political denomination, faith group, and geographic location throughout Mexico and into other nations as well.
Maiz has been fabricated into the very fibers of Mexican culture. Not only does it deeply affect the economic well-being of the country but also the traditions of the country as a whole and each region throughout. Much of ancient Mesoamerican art and religion found in what is now Mexico is centered on crops, most commonly maiz. For example, the danza de los Voladores, is a dance in which 5 men play music and dance representing a fertility ritual (Unesco). Another way that maiz plays a role in Mexican culture is through traditional cuisine.
Mexico is rich with history and culture, cuisine plays a huge role in their traditions and daily living. Maiz in found in many traditional dishes such as pozole which plays a part in many Christmas festivities, atole a classic Mexican drink, and of course the tortilla. In my experience for 2 years living in Mexico I never had a single meal without tortillas.
I will continue to pass on Mexican culture from one generation to the next and be an advocate for the diversity and traditional methods of farming in Mexico. I will keep learning about and sharing the history of Mexico and the value it has brought to the world. I will preserve the value of maiz in my own life. Beyond the physical strength of the maiz plant, it also holds a strong grip on the Mexican economy, culture, cuisine, and history which will secure it a large role in Mexico’s future prosperity.
Unesco - Ritual Ceremony of the voladores. Intangible Cultural Heritage. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/ritual-ceremony-of-the-voladores-00175
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