Modern agriculture: floriculture

Zinacantán maintains the flowers production because it has been important for its culture, reflecting its traditions, customs and habits that represent the Zinacantecos from their ancestors. Nowadays, it maintains the cultural color of this town with its adornments, mainly in religious acts; in addition, this activity constitutes one of the main sources of income for the peasant tsotsiles families that began to develop since 1973 with the government support. The adoption of this crop was a success by adapting different varieties to edaphoclimatic conditions, economic benefits and availability of natural resources for production.

According to the indicators that were generated from the attributes (productivity, stability, reliability and resilience, adaptability, equity and self-management) and diagnostic criteria to identify weaknesses and strengths of the production system (floriculture) in Zinacantán, Chiapas, results to help analyze and measure each indicator that is presented below, were obtained.

Productivity

Yield: At present there is a production of 78 028 bundles (dozens, tens and bundles) in 422 greenhouses (100%), representing an area of 160 630 m² (16.063 ha). The development and increase of this activity is due to the economic benefits obtained for being an income-generating crop.

Benefit/cost ratio: it is integrated with the average expenses generated in the production of flowers (800 m² per crop cycle (100 days)), mainly: daily ($9 100.00) and chemical inputs ($1 550.60) used daily. Materials (plastic cover, rules and poles of wood, nails, etc.) and equipment (pump and hose) are not considered because those are expenses incurred when starting production and renovation of materials when they are damaged (3-5 years). The costs that are generated in the production of flowers per cycle ($10, 650.60), integrate the average profit (income) obtaining in the same area and production cycle ($6 949.19). Costs are increased for the use of family labor in agricultural activities of floriculture (it is not remunerated but it is considered important to obtain the indicator). Cost/benefit ratio is 0.65, indicates that for each mexican peso invested they earn 65 cents (65%) when marketing production.

Production volume: the maximum production (11 017) and minimum (94) of bunches produced per cycle (100 days) to determine the average production quantity (1 804) in greenhouse land area: 1 983 m² ( on average). It represents 16.37% regarding the maximum production.

Stability, reliability and resilience

Production area: reference is made to the number of greenhouses that were installed in 21 years (1973-1994) in nine towns in the municipality of Zinacantán. The average number of greenhouses installed per locality in those years (80.2 = 3.82 per year) is calculated to represent an installation percentage (100%) and compare it with the current situation (408 greenhouses) using as a reference: 1984 to 2016 (21 years). When obtaining the data, there were: 19.42 (508.4%) greenhouses installed per year in the municipality with 81 producers surveyed, representing more than 100% installation of greenhouses. By contrasting the integrated results, this production surface is considered as one hundred percent.

Number of plant species on the plot: the results obtained when asking if they sow other crops in association (planted or natural growth), 97.5% mentioned that they did not, because it does not allow adequate growth and development of flowers; in this respect, ^{Gliessman (2002)} points out that monoculture is the sowing of a single crop, natural production of agriculture with an industrial focus. However, 100% emphasize that if plants grow naturally for domestic use, but 81.5% allow plants to grow for consumption; and 18.5% answered “no” to the various weed “cleaning” activities; others, because they are contaminated with “a lot” of chemicals and recognize is not good for health. The average number of plants in association with flowers (3.62) represents 18.14% with respect to the total number of species (20= 100%). The most sown are: peppermint (Mentha sativa) and mulberry grass (Solanum americana); of natural growth, there are: epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides), verbena (Verbena officinalis), blackberry, chicory (Cichorium intybus), turnip (Brassica campestris), peppermint, bledo (Amaranthus dubius) and mallow (Malva sylvestris L.).

Flowers varieties in the system: this indicator is measured with varieties that are conserved in production, it has as maximum number: eight (100%) different flowers that adapt to the climatic conditions of the place, the reference number to evaluate is the maximum (55.55%), two (19.75%), three (13.53%), four (6.17%), six (2.46%); seven and eight varieties in production (1.23%). The average number of plants in greenhouses is 1.93 (24.22%), this indicates that most of them only prefer one type of flower, the one preferred among producers is purple or white Aster (crystal) because it is cheaper.

Natural resources conservation practices: the practices that influenced the production of flowers were selected (8). All of interviewees at least performs one of them. Standing out: application of natural fertilizer (85%), among which are used gallinaza, lamb manure and forest land; construction of water pots, locally known as “tanks” (80.24%); reforesting their lands (74.07%); leaving crop residues on the ground for decomposition and planting trees around wells and springs (54.32%). In less quantity, there are the use of technical irrigation system (6.17%), establishment of live or dead barriers (7.4%), construction of agricultural terraces (34.56%). The average percentage of respondents who practices conservation of resources is low (49.53%) and the descriptive statistics according to the evaluation (1.17= very little) indicates that it is necessary to carry out more natural resource care practices in order to preserve them in better conditions in and to avoid problems for future generations. Modern agriculture generates environmental damages including the exploitation of natural resources (^{Altieri, 1999}; ^{Gliessman, 2014}).

Ethics in the management of natural resources: the opinion on the damages that can be caused by the production of flowers on natural resources is important in order to know the environmental conscience that exists in the community. The data show that, on average, the majority (98.76%) do care and know (ethical) the negative effects on natural resources (93.8%); but caring is not enough as descriptive statistics indicate (2.88= little). Due to the productive change, little planning and lack of service, there is scarcity and contamination of natural resources in soil, water and accelerated deforestation; with the scientific knowledge of modern agriculture, most of the social and cultural aspects related to peasant agriculture are dissociated, and therefore there is the expression of a hegemonic social and cultural model that excludes other cultural systems in an environmental crisis threatening the existence of civilizations (^{Martínez, 1995}; ^{Burguete, 2000}).

Adaptability

Availability of technical training: when asking the respondents if they would accept technical support to maintain better conditions and learn new jobs in flower production: 90.1% of them would accept it because they need new management techniques, use of agrochemicals, pest and diseases management, they commented that they have not received training (91.4%). Some farmers received it from working with people who hired technicians, others because when obtaining credits they also include technical support for floriculture (8.6%). However, 9.9% indicate that they would not accept any technical support because they only use information for their own benefit.

Availability to change: poor knowledge in pest and disease management, pruning (some cases) or innovative agricultural practices leads to floricultors needing technical support and new jobs to keep their flowers in better condition. Therefore, 90.1% would agree to work with different practices in order to increase yields or have improvements in their crop. Modern agriculture for financial purposes synthesizes its cognitive dynamics in the concept of minimum effort and investment and maximum profit, of a commodity; is used not for human subsistence purposes but for economic and political control (^{Martínez, 1995}).

Transmission of knowledge: several activities were carried out in which they use labor and knowledge is transmitted to relatives and acquaintances (70.4%), including: children (56.8%), other people (49.3%) including: wife, nephews, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, friends, colleagues and workers. In some cases, they teach their siblings (4.9%) and grandchildren (1.2%). Other producers do not teach anyone (29.6%) because they do not have children, their wives knows how to work or they do not dedicate themselves to the activity and nobody asks “help” to produce flowers.

It is important to emphasize that most of the knowledge is transmitted from the head of the family to the children, this would be important to maintain production over time. The teaching on agriculture is intergenerational, transmitted from parents to children and grandparents to grandchildren (^{Massieu and Miranda, 2013}).

Equity

Distribution of water: takes into account the opinion of the respondents about the distribution and use of different water sources (springs: a lot, well: little, and river: little), available in the community for floriculture activity. From the opinions obtained, it can be appreciated that the water resource most used for irrigation of flowers is the one from water wells, it is transported to its land by means of black plastic hoses. The wells can only be found in low areas or at the foot of mountains (hills) because thereis where all the existing underground water is concentrated. The use of river water is shown in farmers who have lands near this resource. When integrating the data, the total is: four water sources (100%); to represent the sustainability of the use of these sources the following is taken as a reference:

Use of three water sources= 0% sustainable; use of two water sources= 33.33% sustainable; use of one source of water= 66.66% sustainable; use of zero water sources (rain included= 100% sustainable).

In this context, floriculture has a water sustainability of zero%, because they use four different water sources with an unequal distribution. The water wells are communal, groups of producers have taken over them, reducing in this way the common use that should exist in the place. In the municipality, farmers who do not produce flowers emphasize that floriculture causes scarcity and possible contamination of water (^{Seidl et al., 2011}). In this research, we observed that the flow of water from the water source to the reservoir is very low. ^{Gliessman (2002)} reports that irrigated agriculture consumes large amounts of water.

Family participation: the results indicated that 44.4% of them work with family labor to reduce expenses in the payment of day laborers and 42% work both with family labor and the contract of laborers “because the work is heavy”. In some cases, only hired laborers (8.6%). For its part, 4.9% indicated that they do not receive help from anyone, all work is done by the head of the family. In the integration of results, this indicator will be represented with the percentage of respondents who use family labor and reported by both: 86.4%.

Intermediaries: this indicator allows us to know if there is intermediation in the floriculture that can affect the peasants economy; 91.4% indicated that there are no intermediaries for the purchase of this product because the farmers themselves will sell their products in the local (Zinacantán) and regional markets (San Cristóbal de las Casas and Tuxtla Gutiérrez). On the other hand, 8.6% indicate that they have a buyer from the same locality, this buyer buys the production because of his deliveries in different states and needs more production in order to maintain its market. Respondents say: “It is good that they buy our flowers because this way we sell all our production at the market price and without losing profits”.

Self-management

External input dependency: different resources are considered that can influence the dependence of external inputs, which are explained below: they have not received any direct support (97.5%) as an incentive to production. In contrast, 2.5% of them have received credit supports; or have used Governmental programs for floriculture such as: PROCAMPO (8.3%), 60 and + (3.7%); and 4.9% earn income from family businesses (grocery store or textile). As for the use of agrochemicals, they use them (100%) from the disinfection of the soil to the opening of flower buds. Due to the care taken in modern agriculture, manual labor is reduced and the use of inputs with a strong technological base is increased, as well as efficiency and productivity. In order to obtain high yields, many expenses are included as non-renewable inputs: fossil fuels (^{Altieri, 1999}; ^{Gliessman, 2002}). On the other hand, in this production 50.6% of farmers need external labor in the production of flowers. Results indicate that 100% depend on external inputs, mainly for the purchase of agrochemicals and contract of wages to maintain production in good conditions.

Local organizations: it is evaluated considering whether there are currently organizations for activities to obtain government support, credits, flowers marketing, among others; all of them indicated that they do not belong to any organization; and 1.2% mentioned that there are groups or organizations of producers to manage inputs (agrochemicals), greenhouses and commercialization of flowers.

Percentage of income contributed by the crop during the sale: floriculture is the most important activity in the income generation (93.3%) comparing only the traditional maize activity in an average area of 3005.16 m² ($1 686.88 per year) with that of flowers in an average area of: 800 m² ($23 512.02 per year). The interviewees mentio: “with the production of flowers we obtain up to three harvests a year depending on the flower, we earn more money, more if we harvest in high season or on holidays; and with maize production we only have one crop but it is not sold because it is food for the family”. Something similar to that was reported by ^{Seidl et al. (2011)}, comments from the participants (producers of flowers) in their research: “with the greenhouses there are quantities produced, and soon... in the greenhouse we plant and in three months we are already harvesting. And there is more money. So we are sometimes changing maize for flowers”.

Presentation and integration of results

A matrix is created with the data obtained, in order to present a clearer analysis (Table 1). The intention is to give an overview of the yield of management systems in each indicator (^{Galván et al., 2008}). Finally, the graphic representation of results integration with quantifiable data complementing it with qualitative ones (Figure 1).

Table 1 Indicators of sustainability in floriculture production. 

Fuente: modificado de ^{Fuentes et al. (2015)}.

Figure 1 Sustainability of floriculture.  

The results obtained in the investigation considering each percentage represented by the indicators are as follows (Figure 1).