Tlaxcala's 3,000-Year-Old Farming System Honored by the United Nations

Strategic Insights -

Mexico's Tlaxcala state has been recognized by the United Nations for its 3,000-year-old farming method, metepantle, which has been deemed a crucial example of sustainable agriculture in mountainous terrain. The metepantle system, developed by Indigenous farmers, conserves water and native species, and is a sophisticated system of seed conservation, exchange, and community networks. The recognition, made by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has positioned Mexico as a leader in agricultural sustainability.

Key Takeaways:

  • The metepantle agricultural system, developed by Indigenous farmers in Tlaxcala, Mexico, has been recognized as a world agricultural heritage site by the United Nations.
  • The system is an ecologically sustainable method of growing corn, agave, beans, squash, and other Mexican staples in challenging mountainous terrain.
  • Metepantle conserves over 140 native species, including 40 local varieties of corn, through a sophisticated system of seed conservation, exchange, and community networks.
  • The FAO's director-general, Qu Dongyu, visited Españita, one of many Tlaxcala communities that practice metepantle, and called it "a powerful example of long-term agricultural resilience in fragile mountain environments."
  • The metepantle system is based on creating a mosaic of terraces where the crops are planted alongside succulents that nourish the soil and hold water.
  • Mexico's Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Julio Berdegué described metepantle as "a living museum" that conserves traditional knowledge and promotes new technologies.
  • The FAO has designated metepantle as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), a recognition that positions Mexico as a regional leader in agricultural sustainability.
  • Mexico has undergone a total of 3 GIAHS designations, with the additional two being the chinampas in Mexico City's Xochimilco borough and the Maya milpas (cornfields) in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Statistics:

  • Over 140 native species are conserved through the metepantle system, including 40 local varieties of corn.
  • The FAO has designated a total of 102 GIAHS across 29 countries.
  • Metepantle is a farming system used by over 500 farming families and community leaders in Tlaxcala.

Sources:

  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) press statement regarding the recognition of metepantle as a GIAHS. (https://www.gob.mx/agricultura/prensa/fao-reconoce-al-sistema-agricola-metepantle-de-tlaxcala-como-patrimonio-agricola-mundial)
  • Twitter post by Julio Berdegué regarding the recognition of metepantle. (https://twitter.com/JulioBerdegue/status/1982540317396971601)
  • Article by Milenio regarding the recognition of metepantle. (https://www.milenio.com/videos/milenio-tv/milenio-habitat/metepantle-tlaxcala-nombrado-patrimonio-agricola-mundial-fao-milenio-habitat)