Mexico Backs Native Corn Production

Mexico is strengthening efforts to preserve and develop native corn production through community-based commercialization initiatives in Veracruz and technical training for producers in Oaxaca. The actions combine support for cultivation, processing, and commercialization with the transfer of agricultural knowledge and technology, seeking to strengthen rural producers while preserving the genetic diversity of native corn.

In Veracruz, 42 Maíz del Pueblo (Corn of the People)  tortilla shops have been established to promote the cultivation, processing, and commercialization of native corn produced by local communities, involving about 840 farming families participating in the Sowing Life program, reports the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER).

The initiative, carried out jointly with the Ministry of Welfare, emerged from the organization of Communities of Farmer Learning (CAC), where producers exchange knowledge and coordinate collective work. The model enables communities to move beyond primary agricultural production by creating local channels to process and sell their native corn and other agricultural products. This program also provides a direct market for value-added products produced by participating communities. The tortilla shops serve as points of sale for products including coffee, chocolate, cacao, pinole, fruit wines, cacao soaps, and coconut oil, among others.

The initiative is part of the second stage of Sowing Life, which seeks to enable rural communities to advance in the transformation and commercialization of their harvests. This strategy continues as part of the government’s approach to transforming the agricultural sector by working directly with producers and expanding their opportunities to participate in productive chains.

Technical Training Supports Native Corn in Oaxaca

In Oaxaca, the National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (INIFAP) is developing training activities for communities to strengthen knowledge related to the production of native corn. The activities are designed to provide producers in participating communities with technical tools and knowledge to improve agricultural practices and contribute to the conservation of native corn varieties.

INIFAP’s work includes the transfer of knowledge on crop management and production practices, while also promoting the use of resources available within the communities themselves. The approach combines technical training with the strengthening of local capacities, allowing producers to apply agricultural knowledge according to the conditions and resources of their communities.

The training is part of broader efforts to support rural producers and preserve the genetic diversity of native corn, which remains an important component of traditional agriculture and food systems in different regions of Mexico. Through these activities, INIFAP continues to participate in research, training and technology transfer processes aimed at supporting producer communities and strengthening agricultural production.

Together, the initiatives in Veracruz and Oaxaca reflect two complementary approaches to supporting native corn: strengthening the capacity of producers through technical knowledge and technology transfer, while also creating opportunities for communities to process and commercialize their harvests.