TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IMPLEMENTED IN THE AMARANTH (Amaranthus spp.) AGROPRODUCTIVE CHAIN IN MEXICO CITY THROUGH EXTENSIONISM PROGRAM

Abstract

A study whose purpose was to evaluate the performance of the extension workers in charge of providing technical assistance to amaranthus producers within the agricultural extension program at Mexico City (CDMX) to implement technologies in their productions units that improve their productivity to increased yield and/or reduced production costs. The entities responsible for the program were the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), before (SAGARPA) and the Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (SEMADER) of the Government of CDMX. In addition, it was supported by two institutions; one dedicated to the training of rural producers and one of research, the first in the methodological part that fell to INCA Rural and the second, in the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP) that accompanied the extension workers in the part of research and innovation. Six technical advisers (extension agents) and a coordinator participated in the development of their activities in the town hall of Milpa Alta, Tlahuac and Xochimilco, where a population of 84 producers were directly assisted, which implemented 20 innovations in the primary links, transformation, commercialization, supply inputs and organization of producers. The technological innovations that were implemented for the amaranth crop had a small scope of application, because the number of extensionists assigned to the chain of such crop was very scarce.

Keywords

• technical assistance
• agroproductive chains
• small producers
• productivity
• cost effectiveness