Agriculture and Territorial Changes in Peri-Urban Zones in Central Mexico

"The development of peri-urban agriculture in some cities of Central Mexico has established important patterns of territory transformation, either in changes of use of land or in the structure of production, or in social and cultural changes. On the periphery of Central Mexico cities, agriculture is practiced with a double function: on one hand, it serves as an urban food source wherein growers supply fresh goods to the markets. On the other hand, there is considerable production for self-consumption, especially among the low-income population. In short, peri[-]urban agriculture is an economic alternative or survival strategy.

In Mexico, the rural producers are not disappearing with urban growth; they are adapting to the new patterns of territorial organization. Peri-urban agriculture is one of the several activities in this territory, that remains with another non-farming activities, mainly manufactures and tertiary, that are having a quick diffusion. Peri-urban agriculture is practiced by groups that occupy, legally or illegally, lands in rural zones actually linked to the cities. Traditionally, urban growth and real state speculation menace the existence of rural spaces but perhaps by the practice of peri-urban agriculture, natural resources (water, soils, forest) have been preserved." [Abstract from Conference Program and Book of Abstracts]

[Concurrent Session I-C: Peri-Urban Agriculture]

[Presented at "Emerging Issues Along Urban/Rural Interfaces: Linking Science and Society", a conference held March 13-16, 2005 in Atlanta, GA (US)]