Rural sustainability: corn production and profitability in Ayotzintepec

Abstract

Corn in Mexico is a central component of the economic and productive structure and of the nutritional value of the diet of rural communities, where its efficient management determines the viability of sustainable agricultural systems. This research aimed to analyze the profitability of corn production in the peasant locality of Ayotzintepec, Oaxaca, for the autumn-winter cycle (2023-2024); to this end, production, population characteristics, and economic variables, including production costs, profits and the benefit-cost ratio, were estimated. In the study, significant differences were found in the economic variables and in the three types of ejidatarios (shareholders of common land): Mixed: ejidatarios with owned and leased land (29.49%); owned land: ejidatarios only with owned land (64.1%); tenant: ejidatarios with leased land, (6.41%); these ejidatarios were identified in five categories according to yield: category I) yield ≥4 ≤5 t ha^-1; category II) ≥5.1 ≤6 t ha^-1; category III) ≥6.1 ≤7 t ha^-1; category IV: ≥7.1 ≤8 t ha^-1; and category V) ≥8.1 t ha^-1. The economic evaluation indicator, the benefit-cost ratio (B/C), for the three groups in the five categories was: Mixed) 1.34 MXN, owned land) 1.72 MXN; and tenant) 1.4 MXN. The results showed that corn production is strategic for the basic diet and food sovereignty of the population of Ayotzintepec, Oaxaca.