Collaborative characterization of wild edible plant relevance for sustainable food systems at a Mexican agroforest frontier

Wild edible plants (wild plants) are essential to rural livelihoods, yet their diversity and consumption are declining, jeopardizing their contributions to food security. We explored the relevance of wild plants for transitioning toward a sustainable local food system in an agroforest frontier of southern Mexico through a transdisciplinary approach. We characterized their relevance by integrating knowledge shared through participatory tools, such as territory walks, workshops, culinary sessions, cooking labs, and dialogues, with knowledge synthesized from a literature review on sustainable wild plant management. We identified 57 wild plants from 33 taxonomic families, gathered across humid forest, agricultural plots, paths, and solares; consumed in over 24 preparations; and exchanged as gifts, bartered, or sold locally. The relevance of wild plants is shaped by attributes that facilitate their inclusion in the diet (abundance, proximity, safety, and taste) and by cultural drivers that influence their management (community ties, territorial attachment, identity, and care). Wild plants may support a sustainable food system in both tangible ways (through dietary diversification and conservation through sustainable use), and intangible ones (by strengthening people-food-territory relationships). Rather than being inherent, these contributions depend on the socioecological relationships, management practices, and relational values that sustain their use. Priority actions identified collaboratively included cultivating wild plants near homes, promoting agrochemical-free management, expanding the diversity of managed species, and fostering intergenerational knowledge exchange. These findings show how understanding what makes wild plants locally relevant can inform place-based strategies that strengthen both food security and sovereignty.