Specialty maize varieties in Mexico: A case study in market-driven agro-biodiversity conservation

There is growing interest in the extent to which market opportunities for local crops can bridge the gap between poverty alleviation and in situ conservation. We explore this issue through case studies of the blue and pozole maize specialty markets in the Mexican central highlands. Both markets utilize maize landraces that are cultivated predominantly by smallholder farmers. The pozole maize value chain relies on localized production and infrastructure investment that contributes to value-adding activities such as producing pre-cooked pozole. Blue maize, meanwhile, is more widely cultivated, and although there are fewer opportunities for farmers to add value, this grain feeds into small-scale, largely female-run businesses. Both markets have the potential to contribute to local livelihood improvements and in situ conservation, but careful policy design would be necessary to scale up these markets without diminishing their benefits.