Abstract

MENDEZ RODRIGUEZ, José Luis  and  MIER Y TERAN GIMENEZ-CACHO, Mateo. Expansion of palm oil production in peasant territories, the case of Palenque, Chiapas (1996-2018). Rev. pueblos front. digit. [online]. 2020, vol.15, e445.  Epub Mar 05, 2021. ISSN 1870-4115.  https://doi.org/10.22201/cimsur.18704115e.2020.v15.445.

This paper describes and analyzes how agro-industrial palm oil production has expanded in small-scale agricultural territories pertaining to the municipality of Palenque, Chiapas State, Mexico. From the perspective of political ecology, using both empirical and qualitative studies, it was possible to focus on small-scale palm producers and their relationships with other stakeholders. During the fieldwork, interviews were carried out on plantations, rural sites, and the town of Palenque. Findings indicate that territoriality is emerging in the area studied that expresses the degree to which small-scale palm producers rely on income from the sale of oil palm fruit. Despite the fact that the income is not considerable, it suffices minimally in order to maintain the chain of production.

Keywords : political ecology; oil palm; territorialization; agroindustry; commercial plantations.