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Forced Modernization in Drylands: Socio-Ecological System Disruption in the Altiplano of San Luis Potosí, Mexico

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Stewardship of Future Drylands and Climate Change in the Global South

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Abstract

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) recognizes desertification as a serious global problem in arid and semi-arid zones. It is necessary to conduct research on, and inform stakeholders of, the processes related to the degradation of these drylands before it is too late. The purpose of this chapter is to describe some threats caused by disruptive socio-ecological system and landscape transformations in the drylands of San Luis Potosí (SLP), a state in north-central Mexico. This is due to a process of forced modernization, which crystallizes from a vision aimed at increasing productivity through the incorporation of disruptive technologies and overproduction of renewable energies. The problem of this modernization model is that it disregards the integrity and functions of the socio-ecological system itself. In the case of the central plateau of SLP, known as the “altiplano,” the state government and transnational entrepreneurs appear to view the issue of modernization through the logic of bringing progress and development to a space that they view as otherwise empty, unoccupied, and with low economic value. Therefore, implementation of projects is promoted, aiming to turn these “empty spaces” into productive areas, but also culturally and ecologically decontextualizing the traditional livelihoods of these drylands.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    According to the third state government report, for 2018, the production of barley, soybean, and sunflower crops under the contract farming system has been promoted by guaranteeing the sale of the harvest at a set price and by backing it up with different government support such as technical assistance, technology packages, and production incentives. In the spring–summer 2017 cycle, 12,489 ha of barley was harvested in Villa de Arriaga, with a value of 47.9 million pesos for the benefit of 1336 suppliers to Grupo Modelo México. Under the same model, producers in the municipalities of Cerritos and Guadalcázar cultivated 786 ha of sunflower under contract with the company AAK México S.A. of C.V. at a price of 7100 pesos per ton, for a total of 4.8 million pesos (GESLP 2018a).

  2. 2.

    Is essential for these farming systems the use of adapted “criollo” seeds to water stress conditions and rapid growth, as well as the design of plots to the optimization of rainwater and soil control (Guzmán 2004).

  3. 3.

    García-Morales and Gordillo-Chávez (2011) report that knowledge about bats in the arid and semi-arid zones of San Luis Potosí is scarce, due to the lack of continuous and systematic studies.

  4. 4.

    The participation of the generation of electric power for the wind in 2016 was 3.2% and the solar energy of 9.6%, with respect to the total sources; but if only renewables are considered, their contribution is 16.7% and 5.7%, respectively (IEA n.d.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. El Colegio de San Luis, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    L. Ortega & J. Morán

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  1. L. Ortega
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  2. J. Morán
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Correspondence to L. Ortega .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Estudios Ambientales y Territoriales, Instituto Mora, Mexico City, Mexico

    Simone Lucatello

  2. División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald

  3. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California UABC, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

    Ileana Espejel

  4. Cátedra CONACYT Consortium for Research, Innovation and Development of Drylands Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

    Natalia Martínez-Tagüeña

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Ortega, L., Morán, J. (2020). Forced Modernization in Drylands: Socio-Ecological System Disruption in the Altiplano of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. In: Lucatello, S., Huber-Sannwald, E., Espejel, I., Martínez-Tagüeña, N. (eds) Stewardship of Future Drylands and Climate Change in the Global South. Springer Climate. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22464-6_6

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