Abstract

DAMIAN-HUATO, Miguel A. et al. Maize, food and productivity: technological model for seasonal producers in México. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2013, vol.10, n.2, pp.157-176. ISSN 1870-5472.

Access to food is a human right and it is obtained upon reaching family food security (FFS). In México, maize cultivation is crucial for FFS but requires an increase in productivity. The producer-innovator method (MP-I) is proposed as a way to reduce the technological gap present in maize management and as a means to achieve FFS for seasonal maize producers. The MP-I was validated through producers from Cohetzala, Puebla, and consists of four stages: calculation of food security index (FSI), application of a survey, evaluation of the Radical Technology Appropriation Index (Indice de Apropiación de Tecnologías Radicales, IATR) and the Degree of Employment in Progressive Technologies (Grado de Empleo de Tecnologías Progresivas, GETP), and identification of high-yield maize producers and their technological pattern. It was found that 15 % of maize producers possess FFS; radical and progressive innovations were applied to maize management, with the second ones prevailing; there is no direct relation between the IATR and yields, but there is between the latter and the GETP; 19 % of maize producers had high yields, and if their technological pattern was to be transferred, they could increase their yields by 91 % for low-yield producers and by 24 % for medium-yield producers, resulting in a 14 % increase in FFS.

Keywords : food security index; radical and progressive innovations; maize management; producer-innovator method; productive potential.

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