Protection peasant of the native maize

Characterization, conservation and participatory breeding

Conservation of agrobiodiversity in the hands of rural communities.

To be able to preserve and develop the biodiversity of maize native to it is essential to reassess the strategies used in the communities for generations, and strengthening the dialogue of knowledges. To this end, it was decided to collaboratively perform several actions such as the characterization and participatory breeding of maize native, fairs, seed exchange, community fund and family in situ, in addition to the promotion of the diversity of dishes from the corn field. We have the privilege of having the collaboration of organizations and universities in the region of central, west, south and southeast of Mexico, whose presence is essential to the development of the project. 

The 24 and 25 September 2022, we have carried out the first National Fair Farmer Seed Exchange in Cencalli, The Home of Corn and Center of Food Culture in The Pines. We count with the participation of peasant communities in 16 states of the republic, at least 200 people; we exchanged and we planted the seeds, there was a market for products and food of the milpa, roundtable discussions, workshops, dance and music.

What we are:

To 2023 we have managed to build support for local funding and seed fairs, workshops, conservation and participatory breeding, in addition to uptake of water. Here you can read more about the progress:

In this project we have with the collaboration imperative of ten organizations and universities across the length and breadth of the country:

• Unit of advocacy, training and linkage to the agri-food development in Mexico (AGROALIMEX), Huatusco, Veracruz.
• The Assembly of Indigenous Peoples ' Food Sovereignty; BC (APISAAC), Tlaxcala.
• The Front for the Defence of the Corn (FDM), Colima.
• The Network of Alternative Sustainable Farming (RASA) and the The Training center of Agroecology and Sustainability A. C. (CEFAS), Jalisco.
• Team Seeds and Genetic Improvement (ESMG) of the Faculty of Higher Studies in Cuautitlán of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (FESC-UNAM), State of Mexico.
• The Autonomous University Of Chapingo (UACh), home Chiapas.
• Network of Schools Peasants of Chiapas (RECC).
• Network of Guardians of Native Corn (Regmaíz), Warrior.
• Service Development and Peace Huasteca Potosina A. C. (SEDEPAC), San Luis Potosí
• University for the well-being Benito Juárez García (UBBJG), Iztapalapa, CDMX.
• The Intercultural University of the State of Mexico (UIEM), State of Mexico, and Oaxaca.
• Interdisciplinary research centre in Biodiversity (CEIABio), Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico.