SLOW-FORMING TERRACES IN A MILPA SYSTEM INTERCROPPED WITH FRUIT TREES IN THE NORTHWEST OF THE STATE OF MEXICO: BIOPHYSICAL AND SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS

Abstract

In the State of Mexico, 24 % of the soil suffers from severe water erosion. The Intercropped Milpa with Fruit Trees (MIAF) system creates Slow-Forming Terraces (SFT) through the row of fruit trees and the runoff filter. Sociocultural and biophysical factors have been identified in soil conservation that determine the effectiveness of technologies applied by farmers. The objective of this research was to analyze the biophysical and sociocultural factors that influence FPT in the MIAF system in the northwestern State of Mexico. FPT was analyzed through two topographic surveys of six MIAF plots on hillsides. To identify sociocultural and biophysical factors in FPT, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with farming families, and erodibility, erosivity, topography, and vegetation cover indices were obtained. To identify related factors, the data were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (p ≤ 0.05). A predictive model was generated using multiple linear regression for the statistically significant factors. The 21 identified sociocultural factors were subjected to cluster analysis to observe their grouping. Three biophysical and eight sociocultural factors associated with FPT were identified in the MIAF. The factors of erosivity, erodibility, topography, income, livestock farming, agricultural education, and agriculture as the main source of income predict the SFT (R² = 0.83). Plots with soil fertility were distinguished from those without by the factors of income, livestock farming, agricultural education, and agriculture as the main source of income. The consideration of biophysical and sociocultural factors is crucial for the successful implementation of soil conservation strategies in agricultural regions.