Fig production in Los Altos de Morelos: a strategy for peasant reproduction?

Abstract

Farming families diversify productive activities to meet their basic needs. However, due to problems in the production and commercialization of basic grains, they have sought to produce different crops with higher profitability to obtain better income, such as vegetable and fruit production, in this case, figs. This work aimed to analyze the importance of fig production from the farmers’ perspective as an alternative for peasant reproduction in Los Altos de Morelos. The methodology was of the descriptive-exploratory type. Forty-one interviews were carried out, and the sample was of the non-probabilistic snowball type. An increase in the transfer of crops to lands with warmer climates was observed. Most of the producers interviewed diversified their activities; their main problems are the lack of a formal organization, the instability of the price of figs, scarcity of water, and technical advice. The conclusions were that fig production opens the door to obtaining higher incomes compared to traditional crops and is a viable alternative for improving the living conditions of family units to guarantee their peasant reproduction