Horticultural diversity for food security in marginalized municipalities of the state of Puebla

Abstract

For rural families, backyards represent a strategy that ensures they obtain food of plant and animal origin that enriches and complements their diet. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of the contribution that the horticultural component makes through the biodiversity of species, in relation to food, income generation and the exchange of vegetables. Based on the above, the need to carry out an investigation was planned, the general objective of which was to analyze the horticultural subsystem that integrates the backyards intervened by the State Food Security Program (PESA Estatal) establishing the food, economic and social contributions of the horticultural component obtained by the Peasant Domestic Unit (UDC), in the communities of Canoas-Atempan, Tezotepec-Chignautla and Mazatonal-Yaonáhuac in the Northeastern Sierra of the state of Puebla. In this northeastern region there are 16 municipalities with high marginalization and 8 with very high marginalization of the State, the population is of Nahuatl origin and it is common for women to be responsible for the management and operation of the backyard based on their traditional knowledge and survival strategies. The field work was carried out from March to June 2011, with the participation of 37 rural women. Some of the results found are: In the communities of Canoas and Mazatonal, 77% of the horticultural production was destined for food, 15% for marketing and 8% for strengthening social relations within the community. In contrast, in the community of Tezotepec, 53% was destined for marketing, 46% for food and only 1% for strengthening social relations. There are also differences between communities in relation to the number of children, the diversity of vegetables cultivated, as well as the frequency of sowing and transplanting of vegetables that contribute to food security in the UDC.