Promote innovations for sustainable food production

Project description

Title: Vida y Campo - Sustainable innovations for a climate-resilient food production and well-being in rural areas in Mexico in a post-COVID-19 context
Commissioned by​​​​​​​: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)​​​​​​​
Country: Mexico
Lead executing agency​​​​​​​: Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (Agencia Mexicana de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AMEXCID)​​​​​​​
Partner: Mexican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, AGRICULTURA)
Overall term​​​​​​​: 2022 to 2025

Small farmer-producer of beans and corn, Mexico

Context

Agriculture is an important source of income in rural areas of Mexico. Most producers are small and medium-sized farms. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vulnerable global and regional supply chains are. Decentralised, balanced and resource-efficient food production and short supply chains are therefore crucial in ensuring that the population is supplied sufficiently.

In many places, however, agricultural production is neither productive nor sustainable. It is often focused on just a few products and barely integrated into the market, meaning it falls short of fulfilling its potential. In addition, the overexploitation of ecosystems jeopardises the well-being of the rural population. Mexico is therefore currently facing the challenge of developing rural areas and securing the food supply without damaging ecosystems.

Objective

Sustainable food production is becoming increasingly widespread in Mexico.

Corn as a traditionally important food in Mexico – here used to prepare tortillas, Mexico

Approach

The project supports the switch to environmentally sound food production. As part of this, it cooperates with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and, in the states of Puebla and Oaxaca, with the respective Ministries of Agriculture and Environment.

In selected production systems, the project promotes innovation, diversification and sustainable cultivation practices. It also develops strategies to adapt production to climate change.

The project enables producer groups and agricultural advisory services to expand sustainable value chains and cushion the impact of the pandemic. Networks and formats for the exchange of experiences ensure long-term learning.

To make relevant information widely accessible, the project promotes innovative digital tools. At the same time, it works to anchor biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change into national and federal policies, strategies and programmes.

Landscape shaped by agriculture, Mexico

Last update: June 2022

Additional information