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Policy Space for Mexican Maize:Protecting Agro-biodiversity by Promoting Rural Livelihoods

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  • Timothy A. Wise

Abstract

Since the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, traditional maize farmers in Mexico have faced difficult economic conditions. In barely more than a decade, as many as one million farmers may have abandoned their land under economic pressure from rising imports, low prices for maize and other traditional crops, weak local and regional demand, and large reductions in public sector support for agriculture. The losses are environmental as well as economic. With the loss of traditional maize, there has been a documented loss of the agricultural biodiversity of which these farmers and their ancestors have been stewards for centuries. With maize trade scheduled to be fully liberalized under NAFTA in 2008, many farm groups are calling for a renegotiation of the treaty’s agricultural provisions to prevent further damage. This policy analysis examines the room for alternative policies in Mexico under existing economic and environmental agreements, including NAFTA. It concludes that the Mexican government retains access to many useful policy instruments that could promote rural livelihoods while arresting the losses of important maize diversity. What is lacking is the political will to make use of them.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy A. Wise, "undated". "Policy Space for Mexican Maize:Protecting Agro-biodiversity by Promoting Rural Livelihoods," GDAE Working Papers 07-01, GDAE, Tufts University.
  • Handle: RePEc:dae:daepap:07-01
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vanessa Ocampo-Giraldo & Carolina Camacho-Villa & Denise E. Costich & Victor A. Vidal Martínez & Melinda Smale & Nelissa Jamora, 2020. "Dynamic conservation of genetic resources: Rematriation of the maize landrace Jala," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(5), pages 945-958, October.
    2. Timothy A. Wise, "undated". "Agricultural Dumping Under NAFTA: Estimating the Costs of U.S. Agricultural Policies to Mexican Producers," GDAE Working Papers 09-08, GDAE, Tufts University.
    3. Arthur MacEwan, 2007. "The Meaning of Poverty: Questions of Distribution and Power," Working Papers wp148, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    4. Hallie Eakin & Hugo Perales & Kirsten Appendini & Stuart Sweeney, 2014. "Selling Maize in Mexico: The Persistence of Peasant Farming in an Era of Global Markets," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 45(1), pages 133-155, January.
    5. Sytske Groenewald & Erwin Bulte, 2013. "Trust and livelihood adaptation: evidence from rural Mexico," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(1), pages 41-55, March.
    6. Soleri, Daniela & Cleveland, David A. & Glasgow, Garrett & Sweeney, Stuart H. & Cuevas, Flavio Aragón & Fuentes, Mario R. & Ríos L., Humberto, 2008. "Testing assumptions underlying economic research on transgenic food crops for Third World farmers: Evidence from Cuba, Guatemala and Mexico," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(4), pages 667-682, November.
    7. Nuñez, Hector M. & Chakrabortu, Lopamudra & Robles-Chavez, Jesus Eduardo, 2021. "Impacts of Weather Shocks on Crop Yields in Mexico," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 314988, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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