Dissertation Research: The Ethnoecology of Maize Variety Choice Under Intensification

农业生产集约化是一个共同的结果 第三世界国家的发展。 有一个共同的 认为传统农业集约化 社会导致减少的类型和品种， 植物生长和随之而来的知识损失， 以前长大的。 然而，几乎没有任何研究 以确定在何种情况下， 假设是有效的。 在这个项目中，研究人员将测试假设 强化导致简化和丧失 农民的知识。 他将研究农民的玉米 墨西哥恰帕斯州的农民们， 农业方法用于保持资源的多样性 高地和低地的贫困地区。 特别注意 将用于确定决策中的关键变量 个体农民的生产过程。 这个项目将有助于我们理解 资源贫乏的农民调整农业生产， 他们的环境，因为他们加强。 此外数据 这将有助于政策制定者了解 努力的潜力和局限性 墨西哥的农业生产力。

Intensification of agricultural production is a common outcome of development in third world countries. There is a commonly held notion that agricultural intensification in traditional societies leads to a decrease in the types and varieties of plants grown and a concomitant loss of knowledge about those previously grown. However, almost no research has been conducted to determine under which set of circumstances this assumption is valid. During this project, the researcher will test the assumption that intensification leads to simplification and loss of knowledge by peasant farmers. He will study peasant maize farmers in Chiapas, Mexico to see if modern intensive agricultural methods are used to maintain diversity in resource poor areas in the highlands and lowlands. Special attention will be given to identifying crucial variables in the decision making process of individual farmers. This project will contribute to our understanding of the way resource poor farmers adapt their agricultural production to their environment as they intensify. In addition, the data from this project will help policy makers understand the potential and limitations of efforts aimed at increasing agricultural productivity in Mexico.