Organic mexico: situation and perspectives

Abstract

Several environmental, social, economic cultural and political factors have currently raised interest in the development of organic agriculture, acknowledged as an economically efficient, socially just and ecologically sustainable alternative, with the potential to reduce negative im- pacts related to traditional farming. Despite its dynamism, reflected in growth rates greater than 25%, official statistics do not record its evolution properly, due to which, this sector is becoming excluded from national agricultural policies. Therefore, the permanent updating of statistics is crucial for the definition of policies for its growth. In this sense, this article presents and analyzes the data taken in 2007 and 2008 in the project “Sistema de Seguimiento e Información de la Agricultura Orgánica de México” (Mexican Organic Agriculture Information and Followup System), which the authors began in 1995,shert outlook for 2012.The geography of production,the diversification of the production, the farmers ́ profiles, the participation of the indigenous population, the role played by women, problems that stops their impacts from being boosted, and opportunities, are some of the factors that stand out.