Mexican Agriculture: A Sector in Crisis
Third Assessment
1. Branches of the Agricultural Sector
Agriculture: The cultivation or farming of plants to meet human needs. Principal activities include site preparation, ground cleaning, plowing, seeding, cultivation, harvesting, transport, and storage.
Livestock: Raising livestock for sale or exploitation of derived products like meat, milk, and skin. Examples include cattle and swine.
Forestry: The responsible exploitation and conservation of forest resources such as wood, resin, and gum.
Fishing: The extraction of aquatic species from the sea, lakes, or rivers. This includes food animals like fish and shellfish, as well as industrial products like fat and bone meal.
2. Agricultural Sector Growth (1940-2001)
Agricultural growth has fluctuated significantly. The lowest growth occurred during Miguel de la Madrid’s administration (0.6% annually), while the highest was under Adolfo Ruiz Cortines (6.45%).
A decline in output occurred in specific years (1952, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1992). In other periods, agricultural growth lagged behind population growth (1984, 1985, 1987, and 1995-1998).
Agriculture’s share of GDP has declined sharply, reaching only 4.2% in 2001, despite nearly a quarter of the economically active population still working in the sector. This highlights a serious and persistent issue, with successive governments failing to prioritize agricultural development.
4. Causes of the Agricultural Crisis (Mid-1960s Onwards)
Until 1970, the Mexican state prioritized industrial and commercial development over agriculture. Key factors contributing to the crisis include:
- Lower productivity per person employed in agriculture compared to industry.
- High unemployment and underemployment, driving rural-to-urban migration.
- Low private investment, concentrated in irrigated, large or medium-sized farms.
- State investment benefiting neo-landowners with profitable crops, neglecting smallholder farmers and ejidatarios.
- Public investment focused on infrastructure and services, neglecting the productive sphere.
- Economic surpluses diverted to industry and commerce, decapitalizing agriculture.
- Economic crises disproportionately impacting the already vulnerable agricultural sector, exacerbated by occasional adverse weather.
5. Distribution of Forest Resources
| Vegetation Type | Total Area (ha) | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Temperate Forest | 343,012 | 45.4 |
| Mountain Cloud Forest | 32,177 | 2.5 |
| Rainforest Jungle | 111,037 | 15.6 |
| Subhumid Forest | 248,129 | 34.8 |
| Mangrove Vegetation | 11,080 | 1.5 |
| Gallery Forest | 12,431 | 0.2 |
| Total | 712,631 | 100 |
6. Land Reform
Land reform is the process of adapting peasant relations to capitalist relations.
7. Two Paths of Land Reform
The Landowner Way: Transforming feudal estates into capitalist holdings, often violently. This marginalizes peasants, turning them into proletarians, while large estates operate under capitalist principles.
The Peasant Way: A revolution dismantling large estates and creating new social relations of production. This may involve nationalization and elimination of private land ownership, benefiting a larger number of peasants.
8. Agrarian Reform in Mexico (1915-Present)
Agrarian reform began with the Agrarian Law of January 6, 1915 (part of the Plan of Veracruz), drafted by Luis Cabrera and incorporated into Article 27 of the 1917 Constitution.
9. Agricultural Policy and its Instruments
Agricultural policy encompasses the measures and instruments employed by the state to achieve socioeconomic development in rural areas.
10. Agricultural Policy Measures (1940-2006)
This section details various agricultural policies implemented by successive Mexican governments from Manuel Ávila Camacho (1940-1946) to Vicente Fox Quesada (2000-2006), including land distribution, irrigation projects, creation of agricultural institutions, and support programs.
11. Main Functions of Mexican Agriculture
Historically, Mexican agriculture served several key functions:
- Food production for the national population.
- Financing industrial development.
- Providing cheap labor to industry and services.
- Supplying raw materials for agro-industries.
- Acting as a market for industrial products.
- Absorbing a significant percentage of the economically active population.
12. Reasons for Decline in Agricultural Functions
The decline stems from international crises and internal factors related to the structure of agricultural production and its relationship with industry and services. Imports of maize and wheat, starting in 1972, highlight this crisis.
13. Main Functions of Livestock, Forestry, and Fisheries
This section outlines the roles and challenges within each sector, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices, state support, and improved market access for producers.
14. Causes of Agricultural Sector Deterioration (1970-Present)
The deterioration is attributed to international crises and internal factors, including market dynamics and weather conditions.
15. Problems and Possible Solutions for Each Branch
This section lists the main problems and potential solutions for agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing, addressing issues like production deficits, land concentration, technological backwardness, and unsustainable practices.
16. The Role of Agricultural Policy
Agricultural policy is crucial for addressing the sector’s problems and promoting comprehensive, sustainable development across all branches.
17. Agricultural Policy Schema
Objectives: Achieve socioeconomic development in rural areas.
Problems: State investment favoring profitable crops while neglecting smallholder farmers and ejidatarios living in subhuman conditions.
Instruments: Reduce bureaucracy in agricultural agencies to free up resources for direct application in the field.