Chinampas: The key to sustainable food production

If the 20 thousand chinampas that are found throughout the rural area of Mexico City were put to use, the mayors of Tlalpan, Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Milpa Alta would no longer need to import food from other regions.

In pre-Hispanic times , chinampas were used to plant all the crops necessary for a family’s sustenance. Nowadays, following an increase in commercial demand for farm products, chinampa farmers usually grow best-selling products only, said a member of the Chinampayolo group , Antonio Méndez.

Although many of the capital’s rural regions have been abandoned, the chinampas that are still in use are enough to supply half of the area’s demand for corn, according to a study conducted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Technological Institute of Superior Studies of Monterrey (ITESM) .

In Xochimilco alone, there are more than 7 thousand hectares of chinampas , but only 20 percent is used for cultivation; nevertheless, Xochimilco has managed to position itself as the second largest lettuce producer in the country. This is due to the product’s large market demand, said Antonio Méndez.

However, he considered that if any of these farmers decided to produce other types of food, in many cases they would be faced with a monopolized market .

Furthermore, he stressed, consumers often prefer to buy from big companies instead of turning to their local farmers . To make things worse, both consumers and producers focus on popular and exotic products instead of those that are native to Mexico.

The Chinampayolo group, formed by Xochimilco farmers , has focused on disseminating and rescuing their culture through workshops and courses offered through educational institutions such as the University of Chapingo (UACh) and even basic education schools in Mexico City.

They also participate in joint studies with these institutions aiming to defend their culture and understand the area’s ecosystem, which has been jeopardized by high pollution levels and gentrification.

Chinampayolo originated shortly after the local community decided to rescue the axolotl from extinction, which implied rescuing the entire ecosystem. Therefore, in the chinampas and their canals, they do not use any chemicals to avoid water pollution.

Chinampas, pre-Hispanic heritage fading away slowly

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