The Milpa: Ancient ingredients for a sustainable agriculture

” Let’s globalize the Milpa!,” were the words that echoed in Morgan Hall at UC Berkeley during the panel about sustainability called the Milpa: Ancient ingredients for a sustainable agriculture, held  Wednesday, January 12^th.

Food First executive director Eric Holt-Giménez opened the event by highlighting the importance of La Milpa–an ancient intercropping system of maize, beans and squash–in the emergence of agroecology as a science and as an alternative paradigm to produce food. His presentation was followed by Professor Miguel Altieri, who defined  La Milpa and presented the agroecological principles behind its effectiveness. Finally, Phil Dahl-Bredene from the indigenous organization CEDICAM of Oaxaca, Mexico shared his 15-year experience living in the mountains. “Living there is like living in another civilization,” noted Phil, “In Western civilization we only recognize one civilization, but in reality, here and now, there are many different types of civilization.” Then he said, “La Milpa is a very accurate metaphor of the civilization in which I live in Oaxaca. That civilization knows how to share the territory in a non-abusive way, they know how to help each other and they know how to use resources very carefully. These communities are highly democratic, have a sense of complementarity,  trust in their community and show respect for their children; and that respect is extended to Mother Earth.”

“La Milpa is a very accurate metaphor of the civilization in which I live in Oaxaca. That civilization knows how to share the territory in a non-abusive way, they know how to help each other and they know how to use resources very carefully. These communities are highly democratic, have a sense of complementarity, they trust in their community and show respect for their children; and that respect is extended to Mother Earth.”

Of the groundbreaking  book of agroecology, indigenous cuisine and culture, The Milpa: From Seed to Salsa, Phil said “Now, there are many threats to La Milpa: climate change, new laws in Mexico prohibiting the exchange of seeds, and the oblivion and ignorance about La Milpa and how it works. This book is alternative propaganda. It shows something different to what we see every day in the main stream, it is propaganda to persuade and teach the public about La Milpa. This is our contribution to globalize La Milpa ”

The event culminated with the launching of the book The Milpa: From Seed to Salsa, followed by refreshments and networking among the people interested in sustainability, food justice and, of course, La Milpa.

Eric Holt-Gimenez from Food First and Phil Dahl-Bredene from CEDICAM, Oaxaca during the panel about sustainability in the Milpa