Geographic Influences on Maize Seed Exchange in the Bajío, Mexico

To document the diversity of geographic (physical and human) influences on seed exchange, an important component of traditional agricultural systems, household surveys were conducted in four villages in the Mexican Bajío. This research reviews and contributes to an understanding of the purpose, structure, and scale of seed exchange and threats to seed movement. Based on the household survey data, the main factors that distinguish seed exchange at the village level include whether or not the same seed was grown the previous year, what farmers look for in a seed source, and where they have acquired their original seed. When the household survey data are analyzed based on gender, rather than village, different results are obtained. We discuss the diversity of possible influences on the current seed systems in four Bajío communities surveyed and address the possible consequences for agrobiodiversity conservation.