The crossroads of indigenous coffee farming: Zapotec voices from theSierra Juárez in Oaxaca

Abstract

Small-scale coffee farming in Mexico has various implications. Ecologically, it is related to the
conservation of biodiversity; economically, it is highlighted as a source of income for both families
and communities. In terms of culture, this activity is linked to the organizational systems of each
region, making it a key element in the identity and cultural heritage of coffee-growing communities.
Since the 1990s, coffee farming has faced problems such as the loss of value in national and
international markets. Although some coffee farmers have chosen to abandon their land or change
its use, in recent years, this activity has recovered as a result of some programs focused on rural
production. This research is carried out from a regional perspective, with the aim of understanding the
perceptions of Zapotec peasants from the El Rincón region of the Sierra Juarez in Oaxaca regarding
the crossroads that national coffee farming finds itself in. The methodological proposal is based on
qualitative research to understand the experience in coffee growing through the narratives of the
people involved, seeking a historical, relational and contextual understanding; For this purpose, in
addition to free dialogues, semi-structured interviews were carried out to promote meetings that
revealed representations, memories, emotions and rationalities on this topic. The results offer an
understanding of the biocultural context of the Sierra Juárez in Oaxaca with respect to coffee farming,
from the voice of Zapotec peasants, which constitutes a situational diagnosis aimed at incorporating
such findings into the design of public policies aimed at addressing the rural peasant sector in the
country.