The cultural context of biodiversity conservation - Oapen

158
The cultural context of biodiversity conservation
While the grain and legumes flourish visibly above the swidden ground, many tubers
and starch staples grow below. The most important root crops cultivated in the communities
are yucca (Manihot esculenta), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), which is locally
known as camote, and taro (Xanthosoma sp.), commonly called malanga. They are often
intercropped with maize and sometimes also found in small quantities in home gardens.
The latter is sown from March to May; the harvest takes place eight months later.
Yucca is planted around the end of April; the harvest follows a year later. The red
camote is sown in June, when the rainy season has started and is also harvested a year
later; out of one plant around eight roots can be obtained.
The cultivation of chili is very common in both communities. For the planting,
fallow land is cleared and burned in August. At the end of the month and early in September,
the seeding takes place. Subsequently, the limpia is realised with machete and
chemicals and at the same time fertiliser is applied to the plants. Succeeding the harvest
in December, another yield can be achieved between May and June. Usually up to
three quintales of green crops can be obtained from an arable area of 900 m 2 . Once
harvested, the yield is dried for consumption or sale. The seeds for the next planting
are obtained from the dried chilies. The chile jalapeño is sown in seedbeds, then grown
beneath the milpa and harvested at the end of July, while the chile chiltepe is planted in
home gardens and produced exclusively for household consumption.
Due to the specific requirements of rice, which requires a rather humid soil, only a
few farmers in San Benito who own suitable land cultivate it, mainly for the market
rather than for their own consumption. The corresponding activities do not differ
from the production cycle of maize. Among the available varieties, masagua, which
blossoms rapidly, is used but not favoured according to the criteria of the informants.
The variety ligoneta was reported to be given priority. For the planting of rice a guamil
that has been fallow for more than six years will be cleared. The seeding is done collectively
in May. At the end of the month, the first limpia takes place with machete and
likewise the application of chemicals, while the second limpia two months later is done
by machete only. The harvest is completed between September and October; a yield of
1.5 to 2 quintales may be obtained from an area of 900 m 2 . In general, the profits do
not compensate the labour input the crop demands. Informants complained about the
expenditure of time and work, which is out of proportion with the result. 19
19 The price depends on the variety and the place of sale. In 2002, a quintal of ligoneta was sold at 35
to 40 Quetzales. In 2003, an informant obtained 55 Q. for a quintal of masagua and 75 Q. for ligoneta (at
the same exchange rate).