Evaluation of the sustainability of hybrid and native maize production systems

This paper investigates the sustainability of two maize production systems, native and hybrid, in two different agro-climatic areas of Mexico. Farmers from each system were surveyed, and the following data on agronomic management were collected: use of fertilizers, insecticides, type of irrigation, area sown with crops, number of crop cycles, diversity of crops, and livestock associations. Certain production characteristics such as yield of grain and management of crop residues were also recorded. Using the IDEA method, the sustainability level was scored for the agroecological, socio-territorial, and economic dimensions of each system. On a 100-point scale, the native maize production systems obtained their highest score in the agroecological dimension and lowest scores in the socio-territorial and economic dimensions. In the latter two dimensions, the hybrid maize production systems obtained a higher score. In the socio-territorial dimension, the native maize production systems obtained the highest scores for indicators of ethics and human development, which were important consolidating aspects of this system. These systems also received high scores for environmental and landscape valuation, autonomy and valuation of local resources, and their contribution to global food balance but, overall, were still superseded by hybrid maize production systems in this dimension. Meanwhile, in the economic dimension, poor scores were obtained in native maize production systems due to the lack of investment in infrastructure, poor economic viability and efficiency of production processes, and the need for external support/financial aid. However, the native maize production systems scored comparatively better in the agroecological dimension and supported greater diversity of annual crops and animals as well as better management of fertilization, organic material, and water.