ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY CAPACITY OF AVOCADO CULTURE IN URUAPAN, MICHOACÁN, MEXICO

Abstract

The problems of agricultural fields in the world seem to have the same origins: green revolution, crop monocultures, loss of water resources and soil degradation. The multifunctional capacity of the soil depends on its health, thus, there should be methods related to promoting and supervising soil health. This research focuses in a detailed description of the current state of the soil and is linked to the local perspective, addressing the capitals of sustainability. The study area is located in Michoacán, Mexico, in the municipality of Uruapan. It has an altitude between 500 and 3,300 m. To diagnose the soils, an experimental farmland was selected based on: landscape representation, conventional management and 40 years or more of age of the trees. Three edaphic profiles were described. With the field and laboratory data, each profile was classified and graphs were designed to understand its properties. Closed structured surveys were applied and 33 key informants were selected in order to address the local perspective of sustainability. The data obtained from the interviews was analyzed with spider graphs in order to observe the informers’ main ideas and perceptions. Three groups of soil were identified: Andosol, Luvisol and Leptosol. Biological properties were more diverse in Leptosol. In respect to macronutrients, the three types of soil had the same behavioral distribution. Micronutrients showed an excess of Zn, B and Cu in the farmland. According to the type of climate, two types of interviewees were identified. The most relevant variables of the capitals of sustainability and its way to get there are climatic conditions and suitability of the soils. However, at list 50% of the interviewees considered that the main setback was the lack of economic resources.