Agricultural research for development in the Mexican highlands: Collaboration between a research team and campesinos

Despite important technological achievements, agricultural research in Mexico has had little impact on the improvement of rural livelihoods in the mountains of Central Mexico. The reason for this is its failure to focus on the development of highland campesino agriculture. The Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Agropecuarias (CICA, Research Center in Agricultural Science) of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico has set itself the objective of using research to improve living conditions in campesino households and communities. This places CICA at the interface between research and development. A participatory research project on the management of agrodiversity by indigenous campesinos in San Pablo Tlalchichilpa, in the mountains of the State of Mexico, underlines the importance of taking into account all environmental, social, economic and technological aspects of campesino agriculture as well as the interactions between these elements. Without a more profound understanding of these elements, research cannot contribute to improving campesino livelihoods in a sustainable way.