Agricultural Diversification In Yucatan's Henequen Zone

Based on field research carried out in Mexico's Yucatán henequen zone, this article highlights the potential for peasant diversification initiatives in rural development. The findings reveal a sharp contrast between the inertia of the state managed henequen sector, on the one hand, and the dynamism of peasant vegetable production, on the other. Government subsidies, increased wages and re-organization have failed to halt the sharp decline in productivity in the henequen sector, a sector characterized by corruption and inefficiency. As a consequence of a combination of circumstances the vegetable producers of Dzidzantún have suceeded in reducing risks and establishing viable commercial operations. However, the success of vegetable production underlies the difficulties of achieving self sufficiency in staples under present conditions

Agriculture · Biology · Business · Development economics · Diversification (marketing strategy · Dynamism · Economics · Inefficiency · Market economy · Peasant · Political science · Subsidy · Agricultural and Food Production Studies · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · Latin American rural development · Ecology · Marketing