PUEBLA, MÉXICO — El mezcal, la tradicional bebida espirituosa de México hecha con agave, ha capturado los paladares nacionales y del extranjero. Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo que se dispara su popularidad, emerge una amarga consecuencia: la cantidad de desecho generado por la producción de mezcal y los riesgos que ello implica para el ambiente que sustenta dicha producción.
Al igual que el tequila, el mezcal es una bebida destilada del agave o maguey, una planta endémica de las zonas áridas y semiáridas del continente americano. Tanto el mezcal como el tequila se elaboran cociendo y fermentando la piña, el corazón del agave, cuyo jugo se destila. Los subproductos de estos procesos son altamente contaminantes, resistentes a la descomposición y potencialmente tóxicos para la vida acuática cuando se vierten, sin tratar, a los ríos.
Algunos productores e investigadores están generando soluciones ingeniosas para reutilizar todo este desecho.
https://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/agave-1-scaled.jpeg19202560Patricia Zavala Gutiérrezhttps://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Logo-New.pngPatricia Zavala Gutiérrez2022-08-04 11:45:412022-08-04 11:45:41Productores de mezcal reciclan los desechos que genera esta bebida espirituosa
PUEBLA, MEXICO — Mezcal, Mexico’s traditional agave spirit, has enraptured palates across the country and abroad. But as demand soars, a more bitter note emerges: the amount of waste its production generates and the risks that poses for the very environment that sustains it.
Like tequila, mezcal is a distilled beverage produced from agave, a plant native to the arid and semiarid zones of the Americas. Both mezcal and tequila are produced by cooking and fermenting the piña, the heart of the agave, and distilling its juice. The byproducts of these processes are highly polluting, resistant to decomposition, and potentially toxic for aquatic life if dumped in rivers without treatment.
Some farmers and researchers are coming up with solutions to reuse all this waste. Besides protecting the environment, they hope to create jobs along the mezcal value chain. And while the tequila industry grew exponentially in the past decades with little consideration for the environment, most mezcal “palenques,” as mezcal factories are known, are still small, family-run businesses.
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EDUCATIONAL RANCH VÍA ORGÁNICA
Billion Agave Project: An Agroecological Proposal for Semi-arid Zones
The Billion Agave Project is an innovative strategy that consists of the association of trees or shrubs of leguminous species interspersed in strips with annual crops or perennial grasses. The woody elements are pruned periodically to prevent them from giving too much shade to the crops and the pruning are used as green manure for the soil and to enrich the forage derived from the pruning of the agave leaves, which are used from the third year.
This project begins its second season. There have been several challenges and lessons learned, however, much progress has been made in the following steps and scopes.
At the beginning of the mesquite plantation, small trees from one year to 1.5 years old with an approximate size of 60 to 80 cm were established, however, in most of the areas where they were established they were possibly cut down by field mice or hares. This made us pay more attention and emphasis on mesquite propagation using the layering technique, which was promoted about 20 years ago by Dr. Rafael Ramírez Malagón. This technique allows mesquite to be propagated from different trees and with different characteristics to choose from: pod size, quantity, flavor, size, tree health, etc. Once we select the trees, we make ring-shaped cuts in the bark of the branches destined to become trees. Subsequently, we placed the first field layers associated with maguey lines. These branches have resisted establishment in the field, equaling in size to trees of 3 to 4 years, with this the processes of establishment of the species and therefore of soil regeneration are advanced. It is important to mention that this project integrates the species described above into the landscape without the need to remove the current vegetation to regenerate the soil, diversify the landscape and the productivity of this system.
Among the established agave varieties, the following stand out: Agave Salmiana var, Salmiana, Crassispina, Americana and Mapisaga.
It is important to mention that the lands where this system was established were slightly eroded, overgrazed or simply lands of traditional milpa cultivation.
The second stage begins and now that mesquite layering is part of the annual planning of activities in the Agroecology Park, there is a special season for layering after the hibernation season (from November to the end of January). Many of the layers obtained have been used to replenish the spaces with maguey and we already have some specimens that have been established for a year. This will guarantee the works of reforestation and establishment of the precursor vegetation.
The following activities are planned for this second stage:
1.- Development and layering of mesquite for reforestation.
2.- Propagation of agaves by seeds in raised beds.
3.- Propagation of other native legume species such as guajes, palo blanco, tepame and huizaches.
4.- Establishment of more than 1,500 layers of mesquite.
5.- Replacement of maguey plant.
6.- More than 30,000 magueyes established in Vía Orgánica and other communities.
7.- Exploration of new forest species.
8.- Establishment of the native grassland.
9.- Sowing of cover crops.
10.- Maguey and mesquite forage diet for small ruminants.
11.- Mesquite layer acclimatization nursery.
12.- Integration of the maguey to the forest model of the Regenerative Farm.
13.- Design of informative visual material.
14.- A campaign has been promoted to collect mesquite pods.
15.- A constant maguey fodder production rate has been established, close to 70 tons per year of fodder. A fact that is only possible with the maguey plant in a semi-arid zone.
16.- Groups of producers, students, technicians, organizations and schools have been received to learn about the billion agaves and their benefits.
18.- Experimental or demonstrative spaces have been promoted in other communities with the planting of maguey.
19.- The first Agaves and Mesquites Diploma: Regenerating Semi-arid Zones was designed and is being worked on jointly with the University of Guanajuato.
These are some of the relevant activities of The Billion Agave Project that will serve as a basis and guide to execute the next steps to follow.
One of the constant tasks has been learning and training, especially for the young people who have participated from the beginning and the alliances and links with other organizations, projects and schools, in order to complement the research and expand the opportunity to have maguey and mesquite as an agroecology proposal suitable for a semi-arid landscape so common in recent decades.
It is important to remember that both maguey and mesquite are pioneers in plant succession, that is, they allow other vegetation to establish itself by stopping and regenerating the soil. This gives way to the development of secondary species such as grasses, herbs and shrubs, even medicinal or melliferous.
By living together, these plants generate different environmental services, promote diversity by needing pollinators, and form a habitat for the native fauna responsible for biological control. This system produces large volumes of biomass that could undoubtedly be a substitute for other forages that require large amounts of water, what to say about the derivatives obtained as food, fibers, firewood, distillates, flour, handicrafts, sweets, landscaping, etc. This set of plants, as Dr. Luis Parra mentions: “They should be considered as first-class plants and not second or third, as they are the most suitable for producing high volumes of biomass in the face of the effects of climate change.”
Recommendations for your garden during the rainy season:
– Uncover the beds, let the rain wash and nourish the leaves of your crops.
– Cut the flowers of your plants so that you allow them to give more buttons and flowers.
– Monitor your garden, sometimes surprise plants appear that sprout thanks to humidity.
– If you have earthworm humus or mountain microorganisms, apply them by spray, especially on cloudy days or after a rain.
– If your soil is quite moist, just plant and fertilize or transplant and fertilize, but don’t move it and less rotate it.
– It is important to prune basal leaves in some crops to promote the development of new leaves or the entry of light. Only if necessary and if not, the same leaves keep humidity and are the protective roof of the microbiology of the soil.
– If you begin to see the first grasshoppers or miniature grasshoppers, just apply 100 ml of nixtamal nejayote in 1 liter of water to prevent them from affecting you too much.
COOKING TIME
SALAD OF EXQUISITE PURSLANE
INGREDIENTS
– 2 cups of raw and freshly cut leafless purslane
– 2 tablespoons of raisins
– Sprinkled toasted sesame seeds
– A splash of olive oil
– 1 sliced apple
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix your leaves and raisins, add a tablespoon of olive oil olive oil, add the apple and serve in a bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Enjoy your salad at all hours and remember that purslane only grows in this season.
Remember that we are open from 8 am to 6 pm
Carretera México/ Querétaro, deviation on the way to Jalpa, km 9
Agroecological Park Vía Orgánica.
For information on our products, seeds and harvest,
call our store at 442 757 0490.
Every Saturday and Sunday nixtamalized tortilla with Creole and local corn!
Enjoy our sweet and sour kale chips for children and not so children!
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently came out in support of “regenerative” farming as a solution to climate change.
Politicians have a complicated relationship with science. When they think the evidence comports with their political goals, they love scientists and the work that they do. However, when their ideology clashes with the data, our representatives twist themselves in knots to avoid conforming their views to the facts. Case in point, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted the following comments about regenerative agriculture on July 20:
Many small farms are now using ‘regenerative’ farming techniques that indigenous people have been using for centuries – and in doing so, they may have found the key to protecting our entire global food supply from climate change. pic.twitter.com/migH5zFsD3
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 20, 2022
The tweet included a clip of a hearing during which handpicked experts answered softball questions, giving Ocasio-Cortez’s opinion a gloss of scientific legitimacy.
Recent studies have found that crops grown with regenerative practices contain higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Ergothioneine, a ‘longevity vitamin,’ stands out as one of the most important in the bunch.
It’s a question that Laura Stewart has heard many times: “What’s the white stuff?” Stewart and her husband, Ches, sell mushroom-growing kits, and dense networks of hair-like strands—mycelium—shoot through the bags of compressed sawdust and soybean hulls in a matter of days. “You can just watch it run,” said Stewart, co-owner of Haw River Mushrooms in Saxapahaw, North Carolina.
Researchers now believe that those fungal threads play a key role in establishing healthy soils, which then go on to produce crops that contain higher levels of a compound shown to promote health. Demonstrating such a connection between soil, crops, and human health has long been a holy grail of the food and agriculture community.
https://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/veggies-1-scaled.jpeg17032560Katherine Korneihttps://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Logo-New.pngKatherine Kornei2022-07-15 12:17:032022-07-15 12:17:23This Antioxidant May Provide a Key Link Between Regenerative Agriculture and Human Health
Companies like PepsiCo, Cargill, Walmart, and General Mills are trying to convince farmers like Mr. Gaesser to adopt new climate-friendly agricultural techniques through a variety of financial incentives and programs. They have good reason. Together, these companies have pledged that at least 70 million acres, or roughly 18 percent of the nation’s total cropland, an area about the size of Nevada, will be operated using regenerative agriculture techniques by 2030.
Through photosynthesis, plants — whether corn or trees — convert carbon dioxide from the air into energy that is stored in the soil. Regenerative farming techniques, such as planting a cover crop during the fall, allows that process to continue throughout the winter months when the soil would normally be bare.
La agricultura regenerativa nace de la necesidad de regenerar la tierra. Partimos de una zona de actuación con alto grado de degeneración de los suelos, pérdida de fertilidad y capacidad de retención de agua para poder albergar vida (animal y vegetal).
Se trata de generar nuevas maneras de relacionarnos con la naturaleza que nos permiten dejar de luchar en su contra, para empezar a trabajar y aliarnos con ella para que esa alianza perdure en el tiempo. Porque una agricultura centrada en prácticas regenerativas es, por definición, una agricultura centrada en mejorar la salud del suelo a través del aumento del carbono y la vida en el suelo.
Ante todo, debemos entender la importancia de regenerar bien el suelo y que este acabe trabajando de manera autónoma gracias a las mejoras que se vayan produciendo en él, para dar lugar a un sustrato capaz de mantener y albergar distintas posibilidades de plantaciones.
https://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/soil-health-scaled.jpeg17092560Campo CYLhttps://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Logo-New.pngCampo CYL2022-07-11 13:21:352022-07-11 13:21:35Agricultura regenerativa: aliarse con la naturaleza para que el suelo recupere su fertilidad
Aprovechando el debate por la aprobación del trigo transgénico HB4, representantes de las empresas biotecnológicas y algunos funcionarios del gobierno nacional se manifestaron públicamente a favor de avanzar con la modificación de la Ley de semillas. Si bien no hay ningún proyecto concreto que hoy se esté discutiendo, resulta oportuno reflexionar acerca de las implicancias que este debate tiene para la soberanía alimentaria y los derechos de las y los agricultores sobre las semillas.
La importancia de las semillas
Las semillas constituyen el reservorio de la vida, al transmitir los caracteres que darán continuidad a la especie. Al mismo tiempo, interrelacionan aspectos biológicos, sociales, identitarios, culturales, espirituales y económicos. Históricamente fueron consideradas bienes comunes por las y los agricultores, ya que las mejoraron y las compartieron manteniendo el control de las mismas, lo que condujo a una gran diversidad.
La agricultura es una de las actividades más vulnerables al cambio climático, esto se debe a que el aumento de temperatura reduce la producción de los cultivos, a la vez que provoca la proliferación de las malas hierbas y pestes.
La FAO —organismo especializado de la ONU que dirige las actividades internacionales encaminadas a erradicar el hambre— afirma que los cambios de temperatura también son provocadores de lluvias extremas, las cuales aumentan las probabilidades de fracaso de las cosechas a corto plazo y de la reducción en la producción a largo plazo, hecho que amenaza la seguridad alimentaria mundial.
En la actualidad es urgente mitigar dicha situación y procurar el bienestar de los campos. Una alternativa para hacerlo es capacitando a los agricultores y transformando la agricultura común por una en la que se vigilen todos los recursos. De esto se trata la agricultura regenerativa.
https://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/ag-scaled.jpeg17072560Marisol Lópezhttps://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Logo-New.pngMarisol López2022-07-04 10:52:262022-07-04 10:52:26Qué se necesita para lograr la agricultura regenerativa
Los cambios en el uso del suelo en pastizales, bosques y humedales por el avance de la actividad agropecuaria, así como la mala gestión ambiental de esos ecosistemas, son la razón por la cual buena parte de las tierras productivas están en mal estado. Ello impacta en su capacidad para producir bienes prestar servicios.
Según la ONU, la actual gestión de la tierra amenaza la mitad de la producción económica mundial estimada en unos US$44 billones
América Latina es una de las zonas más afectadas por la degradación del suelo. La Convención de Naciones Unidas para la Lucha contra la Desertificación (UNCCD) señala que el subcontinente está envuelto en un “círculo vicioso de sobreexplotación de suelos, degradación, aumento de la demanda productiva y de la inseguridad alimentaria”.
A pesar de esto, existen tecnologías y estrategias de restauración que apuntan a evitar la erosión de zonas aún productivas e incluso a recuperar lo perdido.
https://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/Crop-scaled.jpeg17062560Jorgelina Hibahttps://regenerationinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/RI-Logo-New.pngJorgelina Hiba2022-06-28 18:25:172022-06-28 18:25:17Degradación del suelo: Esfuerzos para restaurar el suelo echan raíces en América Latina
