Fertilization practices in the La Compañía micro-watershed: an analysis from the perspective of agricultural producers in the State of Mexico
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Abstract
The process of agricultural modernization has fostered dependence on external inputs and environmental pollution. This research aimed to examine the production practices employed in traditional corn and technologically advanced potato farming systems, as well as farmers' perceptions of the socio-environmental and productive impacts of fertilizer use in the La Compañía micro-watershed, State of Mexico. The objective of this study was to identify, from the producers' perspective, the factors that influence their fertilization practices and their differential effects on local agricultural sustainability. A total of 44 semi-structured interviews were conducted with producers, and the findings reveal the coexistence of intensive, technologically advanced systems and traditional ones in the micro-watershed. While potato farmers receive private technical assistance, purchase improved seeds, and prioritize chemical fertilization, corn farmers' knowledge stems from family tradition, they practice community seed exchange, and they combine chemical and natural fertilizers. Consequently, it has been determined that a multifaceted socio-technological differentiation prevails within the micro-basin, a phenomenon that transcends conventional crop management practices. This results in the configuration of two contrasting production models, each with differentiated implications for regional agroecological sustainability.
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