Between urban pressure and heritage: Which place for agriculture in the Chinampus of Xochimilco (Mexico)?

摘要

The final vestige of Aztec culture, the Chinampas of Xochimilco are an example of traditional agriculture in shallow lakes. Near Mexico City, the site is directly faced with urban pressure and pollution. To fight against decreasing in agricultural land and yield loss, farmers in Xochimilco have had to adapt by developing new production strategies. These changes, even if they have supported agriculture, today contribute to the disappearance of the traditional system and structure of the Chinampa, the heritage centre and tourist attraction of the site. The administrators are therefore confronted with a double problem: support (or even recreate) the Chinampera system, while also supporting farmers who are faced with great difficulty in producing and marketing their products.