Detección de Agave angustifolia y Agave cupreata con técnicas geomáticas en Guerrero, México

The agave plant has significant economic and cultural value, it is considered an agricultural and forestry product, and is also used in the production of a significant number of products. In Mexico, one of the most representative derivatives of agave are distilled beverages of mezcal and tequila, whose sales have increased outside the country. In response to this demand, Guerrero has reported an annual growth in production of 1.5 %, with an increase in area of more than 1,000 hectares between 2015 and 2020. This commercial boom has generated an expansion and intensification of planting and production of Agave spp. (Asparagaceae), as well as the use of inadequate agricultural production techniques and changes in traditional technology. That is why the objective of this work was to spatially locate the mezcal agave, in particular the species Agave cupreata Trel. & Berger and Agave angustifolia Haw., with geomatic technologies to identify the diversified environments of the agave (wild or cultivated) that strengthen the agro-productive processes and enhance the by-products of the crop. The study found that the potential area for agave cultivation is more than 25,000 hectares higher than that reported by official sources and that the calculations made with geomatic technologies have an accuracy of 91 % to identify suitable areas for the use and conservation of these two species of economic importance.La planta del agave tiene un significativo valor económico y cultural, pues no solo se considera un producto agrícola y forestal, sino que además se emplea en la elaboración de una cantidad importante de productos. En México, uno de los derivados más representativos del agave son las bebidas destiladas de mezcal y tequila, cuya venta se ha incrementado fuera del país. En respuesta a esta demanda, Guerrero ha reportado un crecimiento anual de la producción de mezcal del 1,5 %, con un aumento en la superficie de más de 1.000 hectáreas entre 2015 y 2020. Este auge comercial ha generado una expansión e intensificación de la siembra y producción de la Agave spp. (Asparagaceae), así como el uso de técnicas agrícolas de producción inadecuadas y cambios en la tecnología tradicional. Es por ello que el objetivo de este trabajo fue localizar espacialmente el agave mezcal, en particular las especies Agave cupreata Trel. & Berger y Agave angustifolia Haw., con tecnologías geomáticas para identificar los ambientes diversificados del agave (silvestre o cultivado) que fortalezcan los procesos agroproductivos y potencien los subproductos del cultivo. El estudio encontró que la superficie potencial del cultivo de agave es superior a lo reportado por fuentes oficiales en más de 25.000 hectáreas y que los cálculos realizados con tecnologías geomáticas tienen una precisión del 91 % para identificar áreas adecuadas para el aprovechamiento y la conservación de estas dos especies de importancia económica

Roadmapping as a Driver for Knowledge Creation: A Proposal for Improving Sustainable Practices in the Coffee Supply Chain from Chiapas, Mexico, Using Emerging Technologies

Technologies are essential for productive sectors to increase competitiveness and improve sustainable development. However, the technology benefits present a great delay in adoption in agricultural sectors, due to discrepancies between scientific research and local needs. This article presents a study for improving sustainability practices in the coffee supply chain, using emerging technologies, of two localities in the Frailesca region from Chiapas, Mexico, based on the current situation, expectations and actions expressed by 165 coffee producers and 12 representatives of two coffee producers’ organizations. Based on Mentzer theoretical support, the technology roadmaps, knowledge management and digital compass were used to draw coffee supply chain processes to identify concrete actions and explore technologies. The results show that the technological route must be focused on renewing and improving coffee quality, getting quality certifications and access to specialized markets. Digital quality management and advanced statistical process control seem to be the appropriate emerging technologies for enhancing the acquisition of resistant varieties, proper pest management, improvement in the collection of coffee beans, the right time and way to plant a coffee plant, soil analysis and for the management of weeds and water conservation and harvesting as sustainable practices in this region. In addition, statistical correlation showed that digital technologies can be better adopted, on average, by producers with 4–6 family members, aged between 40–44 years and without additional crops. The findings propose sustainable practices linked with emerging technologies, based on a technology roadmap and knowledge management methodologies for this region