Oassis Felipe Huerta Galván
The demand for millions of plants of Agave spp. per year, mostly extracted from their natural habitat, puts at risk the integrity of the populations and the forests in which they develop. This proposal seeks to document socio-cultural aspects of the management of different species of the Agave genus implicated in this use in western Mexico. It also seeks to further our knowledge of the biological and ecological aspects of one of these species. In turn, the study is focused on the identification and promotion of successful management experiences through participative workshops to facilitate the exchange of traditional knowledge.
Farmers harvesting Agave maximiliana to make the distillation, in the community of Rincon de Mirandillas, Mascota, Jalisco, México. © Oassis Huerta
This research will document and evaluate socio-cultural aspects in the distillation process of a mezcal from western Mexico, known as "raicilla" and which is obtained from populations, mostly wild, of an agave known in the region as "lechuguilla" (Agave maximiliana). Management practices, of plants and ecosystems, to maintain the production of “raicilla” will be documented; as well as other uses that are given to these agaves. In parallel, with the objective of planning the extraction of plants, an estimate of the abundance of juvenile and adult plants will be made throughout the entire distribution area of the species. The relationship between abundance and the climatic and anthropogenic variables present in the habitat where they develop will be evaluated. This information will be useful to producers to make a sustainable production. Likewise, it will be useful to identify the state of conservation of the species based on criteria of national standards (Official Mexican Standard 059), as well as international (International Union of Conservation of Nature).
Interview with raicilla producers within an agroforestry system of Agave rhodacantha and Agave angustifolia in Chacala, Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, México. © Oassis Huerta
Finally, participatory workshops will be held in different production communities, which will aim to disseminate sustainable management practices that do not allow the use of agrochemicals. These workshops will promote the adoption of community agreements for the conservation of agaves