The Benefits and Sustainability of Organic Farming by Peasant Coffee Farmers in Chiapas, Mexico
The Benefits and Sustainability of Organic Farming by Peasant Coffee Farmers in Chiapas, Mexico
Drawing on survey data from small coffee producer cooperatives in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, this chapter assesses the sustainability of different coffee-production technologies, the role of which in certified organic coffee’s production and export is also discussed. Coffee-production systems including natural, transitional organic, intensive organic, and chemical-dependent systems, are evaluated using yield, income, and agroecological data. The chapter concludes that because of the poor conditions of rural Chiapas, where there is underutilization of family labor due to lack of financial support for small-scale coffee growers, the best method for coffee production is intensive organic farming, as it is economically feasible and, hopefully, will sustain the productivity in the future.
Keywords: intensive organic farming, coffee-production technologies, sustainability, transitional organic farming, chemical-dependent farming, natural farming, Chiapas, coffee growers
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