14 de abril del 2011
Over 100 people from 15 communities in the municipality of San Miguel de Allende attended the Encuentro Campesino organized by CEDESA in the community of Los Torres on April 14, 2011.
The communities that participated included Cruz del Palmar, Corralejos de Abajo, Palmita II, Montecillo de Nieto, San Lorenzo, Villa Guadalupe, Tierra Blanca, Capaderillo, Guerrero, VIvienda Urbana, Juan Gonzales, La Tinaja, Presita Santa Rosa, Cienaga de Juana Ruiz and of course Los Torres, which hosted the event. Two communities that are part of the Rural Citizens Council on Water did not attend, Vivienda de Arriba and Cinco Señores.
The event started with audio-visuals – a power-point presentation called “Tierra” that gave a general overview of the situation of climate change from a global perspective; a power-point presentation called “El Pueblo del Maiz” that dealt with that emblematic plant that is basic to the history, culture and economy of Mexico in terms of origins, bio-technology, and food sovereignty; and finally, a drawing made by children of Tierra Blanca illustrating that community’s territory, including ejido, other milpas, church, ancient burial sites and homes.
The women of Los Torres provided a delicious lunch, served for the most part on non-disposable plates (and plates that the participants brought) to avoid the contamination of paper- & Styrofoam plates and cups that have in recent years accompanied most community fiestas but that we are consciously trying to eliminate from our collective practice.
After lunch, the assembly was divided into six groups; three of people under 35 and three of people over 35. In these groups, the presentations were discussed and solutions proposed; representatives of each group presented their groups’ conclusions.
Regarding climate change, the groups’ conclusions included curtailing non-ecological practices such as the burning of fields to clear them and cutting of trees for firewood; and in place of those practices, planting trees, especially on the banks of rivers and using crop rotation and combinations to enrich the soil.
Regarding food sovereignty, the groups discussed how to avoid bio-engineered plants (exchange of seeds, seed banks) and dependence on the food industry (growing one’s own food in gardens, exchanging products).
Regarding territory, representatives of the groups mentioned the problems of immigration, to the cities and to the North, and purchase of land by foreigners and agribusiness; solutions proposed were to develop self-sufficient family economies through improved farming practices, family enterprises and campaigns against selling of land.
The participants in this first Encuentro Campesino were enthusiastic about meeting again in order to learn some practical ways to improve their self-sufficiency in ecologically sound ways. CEDESA proposed five mini-workshops to take place on May 25, 2011 in the community of Capaderillo, including terracing of fields to retain rainwater that would otherwise be run-off; bio-intensive gardening, using compost and plants germinated in seedbeds; the cultivation of nopal in “tunnels” (homemade greenhouses) for production of tender pads for eating and fruits; backyard design, including permaculture concepts of placement of elements such as pathways, vegetable gardens, herb gardens, fruit trees, animals, and eco-technologies such as gray-water filtering, drip-irrigation; and medicinal plants, including common species that can be gathered in the wild or cultivated and techniques for preparing teas, infusions and salves.
It was announced at this meeting that the board of directors of the Rural Citizens Council on Water will be meeting with Mayor Lucy Nuñez on Monday, May 2. The board agreed to meet in Montecillo de Nieto on April 27 to plan that meeting, and all participants were encouraged to bring their concerns to the board via their Council representatives, to be dealt with at the meeting with the Mayor.
The rainwater-harvesting system pilot project was confirmed for the communities of Juan Gonzales, San Lorenzo and Cinco Señores, to start on April 25. Though financing by the Fondo Verde has been approved for the 14 cisterns to be built in the latter two communities, the funds have not yet been released.
Two communities, Presita Santa Rosa and Guerrero, asked CEDESA for organizational help in calling assemblies to resolve problems of lack of participation and refusal by the delegado to sign the nomination documents for the Council and applications for dry toilets. We have called an assembly in Presita Santa Rosa for April 27 at 11 a.m. and in Guerrero on April 29 at 12 noon.
SAPASMA, the municipal water utility, has committed $435,000 pesos for the construction of 53 rain-harvesting systems in the communities of Villa de Guadalupe and Cienaga de Juana Ruiz. The pilot projects for those two projects, (during which the participating families will be trained in the construction cisterns), will begin on May 2 & May 9 respectively. There will be an assembly in Villa de Guadalupe on April 29 to finalize their planning for the pilot and also to update the community with regard to the issues with the well; and a planning assembly in Cienaga de Juana Ruiz on May 4 to plan their pilot.
These minutes respectfully submitted by Holly Yasui (Cedesa).
