La milpa otomí (ra huähi hñähñu): patrimonio biocultural agroecológico del Estado de México

The industrial agrifood model has impacted on the peasant way of life and the traditional milpasystem. For this reason, it was analyzed which elements currently make up the Otomi milpa andwhich remain in use; likewise, its social, ecological, and cultural perspectives in the field of foodwere discussed. The research was developed from a historical context, applying ethnographictechniques; two semi-structured interviews were designed and applied to twenty-eight peasantopinion leaders in seven municipalities of the High Valleys region of the state of Mexico. It isindicated that the milpa is a biocultural, sustainable, strategic, and broad construction that isintegrated by traditional knowledge and practices, environmental complementarity, communality,and rituality. At present, it is still used and is vigorous and dynamic as a food source for indigenousand peasant families in the High Valleys; in addition, it safeguards the know-how that generatesecological balance and the reproduction of native corn, ya k’ani (native vegetables), and forageweeds. In perspective, the milpa is Otomis’s own alternative in the face of food, environmental, andhealth catastrophe; therefore, it can be revalued and strengthened by the new generations withoutviolating its biocultural essence and putting its productive and ecological tradition first