Mexico Is Going Through an Agro-Ecological Transition: CONACYT

María Elena Álvarez-Buylla, Director, CONACYT, said that farmers in the US are willing to plant non-GMO corn to limit the use of genetically modified grain, as the Mexican government has requested. 

President López Obrador has launched a policy to curb the use of GMO corn, of which Mexico imports 17 million t every year from the US. On several occasions, the US government has expressed its opposition to this measure, questioning its scientific basis and claiming that it will harm grain producers on both sides of the border, as reported by MBN. 

Álvarez-Buylla pointed out that transgenic corn is linked to the herbicide glyphosate, which is set to be completely banned in Mexico by March 31, 2024. The director also highlights that this grain does not possess the same nutritional value that native varieties have. 

"Mexico is going through an agro-ecological transition that revalues the millennial corn production, rooted in multicultural knowledge that adapts to the social, environmental and cultural context. The aim is to safeguard the health of Mexicans and the culture of our people, contributing to the improvement of local and peasant economies, this without implying negative impacts on the trade relationship with US producers", commented Álvarez-Buylla during an online forum on corn.

In early April 2023, COFEPRIS and CONACYT announced the creation of a working group to strengthen the detection of GMO corn in tortillas and corn dough. This aims to promote cooperation for the development of technical and analytical capacities to assess the risks of GMO corn consumption, the associated effects of glyphosate use and its potential impact on human health. In this regard, Álvarez-Buylla said that traces of transgenes from transgenic line crops have been found in tortillas. “This is unacceptable for a country like Mexico where 90% of the population eats corn tortillas," she added. 

In October, 2022, Víctor Suárez, Undersecretary of Agriculture, pointed out that Mexico is studying the possibility of reaching agreements with producers in the US, Argentina and Brazil to ensure imports of non-GMO yellow corn for livestock feed. Most recently, on May, 12, 2023, Suárez stressed the importance of exploring opportunities in this matter with the US.