Las semillas de maíz en México: artefacto, bien común y ser vivo

Abstract

Abstract. This reflection arises from recent findings of fieldwork with producers and various actors involved in maize production in the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala in Central Mexico, specifically concerning their seeds management. We analyze the global concentration of the seed industry, and its power to change socio-technical networks in agricultural production through the application of science and the work of scientists in the seed corporations. In the case of maize, there is a controversy over the possible release of genetically modified varieties in the country. The field research aimed to know how this release could affect small, medium and large producers. The seed is for them a key input and in the two states farmers produce both commercial hybrids and landraces for self-consume. The latter have been improved and preserved by farmers for generations and are closely linked to food culture. These seeds have been conceived as commons and are an antique heritage, as well as an essential part of the culture, which may be affected by the commercial introduction of genetically modified maize. The seed is also a living creature related to the agro-ecosystem and has specific characteristics as a technological artifact and fundamental to achieving sustainable production input. We will discuss research findings with producers and other actors in Puebla and Tlaxcala interviewed in the light of these axes and conclude with reflections on its seeds and its future.