Presence of Transgenic Corn in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca. A study from the point of view of communities

Abstract

This text presents a study on the social perception of transgenic corn in four communities in the Sierra Juárez in Oaxaca. On the basis of a documentary review and interviews with key actors and community residents, information is gathered and analyzed, showing that these residents’ perception is mediated by their way of life; The study also shows that transgenic corn is perceived as a threat to native maize and the milpa, due to the dependency it would create on the transnational companies that produce transgenic seeds. This research involved approaching communities in the area where contamination by transgenic maize in a number of milpas was discovered in 2001. This study is relevant in the context of the debate on the introduction of transgenic maize seeds and their planting in Mexico because it reflects the views of farmers living at the center of the origin of corn.