Building an equitable food system that supports biodiversity, ecosystems, and culture
A lack of crop diversity hurts farmer wellbeing and cultural heritage
Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area spanning the southern part of North America to most of Central America. It is here where corn, beans, squash, chili, vanilla, and amaranth were first grown, boasting a 9,000-year-old gastronomic heritage tied to Indigenous culture. These cultures have preserved heirloom crop varieties through the milpa system, an ancient polyculture technique that uses biodynamic relationships to reduce fertilizer and pesticides used to grow crops. Indigenous farmers have used this system to pass their seed and harvesting knowledge down through generations so crops can adapt to local microclimates.
Today, the milpa faces grave threats from agro-industrial monocultures that can produce higher yields at the expense of soil health and reduced crop biodiversity. Moreover, non-traditional growing practices often have little to no cultural knowledge and limit growers' access to the market, resulting in traditional farmers having no choice but to sell heirloom crops below cost to intermediaries. This often perpetuates a cycle of poverty.
TAMOA connects native heritage with kitchens around the world
TAMOA creates value chains that connect 100 farmers in eight Mexican states with restaurants in North America, Europe, and Japan. As a socially engaged intermediary, TAMOA partners with farmers using the milpa system to ensure that farmers earn healthy margins on their sales and have enough harvests left over to reap the health benefits of eating highly nutritious heirloom crops.
By working closely with farmers, TAMOA is able to provide its customers radical transparency about the varieties, locations, and families of growers, as well as share information about Mexican food culture and heritage. The company's mission is to promote traditional agriculture, cultural heritage, and access to the world market.
The investments
CI Ventures has extended a US$ 100,000 revenue-based loan to TAMOA so the company can hire new field personnel to engage with farmers and help get farmers’ products to restaurants around the world. This investment will allow the company to support additional farmers in using the milpa system, fostering the continuation of this important cultural and sustainable production method.
This CIV investment is expected to deliver the following impacts:
Improved livelihoods for over 150 families farming heirloom crops in key landscapes across central and southern Mexico
Support the commercialization and increased visibility of over 50 varieties of heirloom crops and the importance of conserving these varieties for local conservation and food security
Improve local soil health through the spreading adoption of ancestral Indigenous practices, bringing 500 hectares under sustainable community management
Improve communal agricultural resilience through improved infrastructure and biological inputs through alliances with local organizations
