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6/18/1969 - Mexico’s Agrarian Reform: The Physical Aspect by Francis Foland

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Mexico Agrarian Reform The Physical Aspect exico D F June Richar H Nolte Executive Director Institute Current Norld Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York 10017 Dar Mr Nolte The Mayas oalled Chac To people Central Plateau T In Valley Oaxaca ancient civilizations referred Dios Ray eastern slopes mountains Totonacs worshi No matter God Rain cultures supreme deity throughou menturies At Teotihuacn Gentral Plateau image characterized large round dominated architecture His companion goddess terrestrial waters honored monolithic sculpture Often symbol joined God GOrn Mix funerary above lintel Tomb I04 Monte AIbn LEFT GhatchiutIicue skirt goddess terrestrial warer Height Glassic Teotihuacn III Aztec poetry abounded references I floering strips I world I mystery I creature Sun Earth And golden circulate In blood Of Fraternity I quetzal I among flowers I under divine The blossoms Its blossoms earth The civilization TeotihUcn probably earliest Maxico From matrix sedentary griculture matured urban special society Its physical setting valley tightly circumscribed mountains watered extensive lakes provided feeding concentrated population limited geographic alternatives inhabitants learn another thermfore develop social political systems essential mutual aocomodation In contrast AmazGnia never developed Civilization partially because leached soils could provide ephemeral support agriculture aborigines forced interrelate closely rather could choose easier route migrating forested peneplain As population Teotihuacn increased utilization intensified With diffused habitation farmers could clear crudely harvest three crops abandon first depletion But peoples tract demands greater allowed seasons became necessary restored primitive fertilization which absence livestock derived refuse humans small domesticated animals birds The Teotihuacn began eoialized crfts services developed whose praotioners dependent others provide their tenance Agricultu moved alluvil valley floor evolved complex irrigation system which allowed multioropping The degree organi zation essential construct coordinate system enhanced sophisti cation Teotihuacn ciVilization To construction demsnds urban society abundant forests felled Denuded slopes brought erosion decreased rainfall Overused soils hampered production Teotihuacn became vulner orimitive peoples pushing north Ater thousand years development civilization disintegr Today monumental archi tecture apoge stands plain In thousands miles through Mexico States Sonora Sinaloa Nayarit Jalisco Guanajuato Tlaxcala Puebla Oaxaoa I sufficient rainfall Some country produce decent bolstered irrigation It Mexican Government rporates unique cabinet Secretar Kydraulic Resources In addition Ministry Agriculture Livestock includes Department Agrciultural Engineering particularly concerned small scale irrig projects Over A2 million acres under irrigation producing third country agricul tural production Wheres Teotihuaon cultivation moved outer inward modern Mexico pushed agriculture outward nationai phery exploiting areas north until recently desolate astelands Irrigation cannot lways transform desert Eden however Recently I drove southward Oaxaca Between Iexioo Cuautla expressway descends through covere ABOVE The Valley Yanhuitla The mountains background severe erosion mountains levels flatland volcanic soils But beyond sugar oasis Izucar Matamoros ranges Sierra Madre collide convolution vertical forms Being protracted season xerophytic growth parched exposed boulders exuded New York concrete August Widely scattered villages consisting three adobe carried names reflecting geography Desierto San Juan E1 Pedregal El Salitre La Cumbre La Matanza Ojo Agua St John Desert Stony Ground The Salt Bed The Crest The Slaughter Water Hole Three olapida shacks huddling together particularly seared boaste announcing Amevas Horizontes horizons I wondered settlers could possibly there Worse however As I swung curve curve Valley Yanhuitln cacti could survive surface scarred accelerated erosion Here topsoil remained areas Ltin America amount fertilization irrigation modern technology could these slopes Yet Dominican monas suggests centuries valley importance warranted considerable attention Church Just Central Plateau Teotihuacn Valley 0axaca produced ancient culture rivalling north The sites Alb Mitla probably being reasons Teotihuacn Again mountains valley tightly setting limits which always sight As Teotihuacn agricultural conditions Valley Oaxaca favorable Hispanic While dessication exhaustion reduced production population multiplied All desirable lands haciendas until agrarian reform decimated large holdings The arithmetic simple there peasants therefore divide latter former grant parcel determined The outcome unfortunate beneficiaries reform usually received never acres If gation could multicropping possible market produce available Indian farmers might intensive agriculture But neither Agricultural engineers state decade constructed scattering small irrigation projects modest reservoirs which rains allowing catch seasonal wadis during growing season At maximum reservoir water acres In trast Yaqu Valley Sonora provide acres K pproximately 0ax_a_qugo state capital million population rural Isolated mountainous terrain state developed industry inhabitants depend survival quarter hectare suffice As result Oaxaca peasant particularly e_jida_tario_ reform beneficiary bracero independent farmer He ranges United Sta Guatemala search field He picks coffee Chiapas Vera Cruz picks tomatoes Sinaloa It hardly outcome idealized those conceived implemented Mexico agrarian reform Privately owned Small holdings encircle Oaxaca As always Latin America peasants their cluster small villages I visit village Atzompa At fresh landscape istened bright The grvel deteriorated deeply rutted burro hoofs wheels It wound between newly plowed fields rusty where occasional _campesinos already behind yoked wooden plows Atzompa consisting dusty street between supplements agricultural earnings pottery making The changed aspect since Hispanic vessels splashed around green glaze It esthetic improvement The traditional shapes pleasing practical haveen reained however pitchers necks elongated handles plates fluted edges baking dishes whose concave sides small handles ABOVE Sra Teodora Blanco children A Zapotec Indian leading potter Atzompa ceramics design display Mexico United States Behind crude which fired It seems however craftsman Atzompa peddles products Saturday market Oaxaca Mestizo intermediaries enter One vendor impress overhead insisted I realize eight cents reach Atzompa restock ceramic Si large pitcher I bought three pesos doubt inflated gringa I could conclude something about price artisan On Atzompa I invited Indian woman walking along roadside She going canter Oaxaca gratefully accepted I asked about conditions countryside Very laconic reply I prompted commenting It month The fields plowed FMF BOVE The Saturday market Oaxaca The pottery displayed typical A zompa The market occupies eight square blocks passageways cloge especially vendors transporting their precarious dollies which threaten imminent collapse ready cannot plant referred milpa until rains Last drought worse And there enough asked She shrugged shoul I inquired about holdings replied terms I almud She average almudes Pursuing definition measure sources later I learned almude refers quantity planting field In I kilos another liters In agreed mudes would plant about hectare I could judge average small holding between acres I pondered roundabout indicating holding It indicate there titles veyed therefore peasant tills It suggests theft seeds major investment governs peasant cones9 It certain yield indicator acreage agriculture subject vagaries nature Where Oaxaca _situ agrarian reform laborers ciendas transformed ejidatarios Nort hwest lexico largely settled people other parts country particularly overpopulated center south To Stimulate migration peripheral States Sonora Hinaloa federal government encouraged prospects descriptions fertile irriga lands One example situation Carrizo alley about miles north Los Moohis Sinaloa Alongside highway I noticed nouncing Ejido V Carranza Reforms I agriculture scrub growth Organpipe cacti A further village appeared about houses widely scattered clearing packed I stopped walked house woman sitting outside There rooms separated breezeway which served kitchen The floor little loose debris swept concrete Though Scarf sweater She looked later decided probably youmger I learne illness Her husband peasant southern Sinaloa years Ejido Carranza Reforma promise would receive irrigated Ten years still water I asked possible raise It possible Then My husband Los Mochis There children money medicine herself We waited espora without I irrigated Yaqug Valleyo north perous ojido I visited there Then I I stoppedo photographs kilometers irrigation canals being tractors clearing desert The workmen whole valley would irrigated years She encouraged I years President Mexico asked Ws blame She Insisting place fault I Uneuivocably State Governor ABOVE Children Ejido Carranza Reforma Los Mochis Sinaloa office after years He could irrigation She Unfortunately cases Poor Land Little Water exoep tional As early before reform relly gained momentum under President Crdenas Eyler Simpsonso entitled chapter classic The Ejido S Way Out_ He comments There course plenty either rainfall irrigation But little water scarce He gives series materials covering States Puebla Michoacn Guanajuao Hidalgo Jalisco Coahila Guerrero M Chi huahua Oaxaca Since I comment above situation Oaxaca ejidatarios I quote Simpson regarding conditions three decades earlier In inspection I making I noted overwhelming majority oases villages enough sufficiently quality permit ejidatarios satisfy their agricultural necessities Indeed place being Satisfied villages stirred injustice giving parcels which small majority cases quality In other words agrarian reform carried villages given problem solved definitely When together irrigation difficul Institute Current World Affairs Fellow obtaining agricultural credit cjuality granted places small amount others clear Oaxaca impossible ejidat_ri gress except small number cases Many problems Mexico agrarian reform today trace original rooted faith intention regarding Durin first years objective distribution conceived modes terms merely grant mpesino small prcel sufficient himself family supplement aSalary might lrger farms The relegated subsistence culture which should therefore occupy lands Not until President Crdenas agrarian reform advance prime importance nation agriculture which warranted creation produce crops productive lands In order operate efficiently produce extensive crops judged essential organize large units therefore collective farms La Laguna prime example period It first extensive important economically collective ejidoS formed under C6rdenas Though political considerations played failure large collective northern Mexico pPysical aspects which absolutely doomed La Laguna For years highly productive producing Mexico cotton Water ample rainfall rivers Thau unrelenting drought In prohibite drilllmore wells already existence having lowered water table drastically By water behind Lzaro Crdenas barely touched available irrigation In Government initiated resettlement program La Laguna peasants transferring Verdant tropical Campeohe within months original farmers transferred deserted their families returned La Laguna The Presidents since Crdenas authusiastic about agrarian reform certainly collective farmi Only lective formed since Cananea whose related FNF With purchase Cananea ranch northern Sonora cattle acquired Greene family It feasible divide grazing among split collective ejido_s_ facilitate admin istration There little precipitation region about inches there considerable underground water runoff mountains which could utilized However ejidatarios receive little technical assistance agricultural training restrict their activities guarding cattle which underutilizes manpower Only acres cultivated forage crops officials local Ejidal Bank urged ejidatario_s drill wells irrigation However deeper which vides enough quench thirst cattle humans ABOVE One seven ejidos Cananea northern Sonora In Canne therefore human element which limits development e_jidos However given Nature generally niggard supply water Mexico irrig Cananea might bring La L aguna Water population tight Mexico When Revolution started there million Mexioans chaos ecades population Today however soared almost million Before agrarian reform labor force million employed agriculture That centage dropped absolute number working doubled million In years water support peasants saturation point approaohing Recently President Diaz Ordaz Eng Norberto Aguirre agrarian reform agency stated remains tribution Other support rural population found Hope pinned massive program rural industrialization possible million World Bank On would Mexico could boast agricultural success In years goods services produced agricultural sector expanded Exports cotton coffee cattle tomatoes sugar ncreased country sufficient Wheat potatoes Long predictions optimistic however With projected population million Mexico producing citizen according economic Bnco Mexico Unless agricultrai production makes matic advances cQuntry forced resort increasing imports foodstuffs A question Can system inoreased needs overcome barriers terrain little water physical aspects which indicated newsletter To considerable extent depend progress agricultural technolo which expand carrying capacity On other solution Mexico rural problem depends large degree socio political aspects Sincerely yours rances M Foland Photos Received New York June