Agriculture technology transfer: Assessing 60 years of experiences in Mexico

This study analyzes rural development programs that focused on agriculture and were instituted in Mexico from 1940 to 2001. It examines them within their political and economic contexts, including NAFTA, and demonstrates how these contexts have affected the various programs. The six-year presidential period in Mexico is shown to limit the achievements of the programs, and the seven economic crises Mexico has experienced since 1940 are shown to have influenced how poverty relief programs brought resources to rural areas and also led to a constant reorganization of rural development programs because of the lack of resources.; The analysis illustrates that shifts related to presidential politics led to a lack of continuity in policies to support the programs, such that, in most cases, program goals were not achieved. Rural development programs have sought to improve agricultural production and productivity, but agricultural producers have not had enough support and resources to respond as policy makers expected they would. Producers faced shortages of seeds, agrochemicals, loans, insurance, and technical assistance. The research documents the evolution of development programs instituted in each presidential period and demonstrates how specific conditions, such as lack of technology, inadequate technical assistance, inadequate delivery and availability of services from institutions, limited the improvements in production, which meant the quality of life of rural inhabitants did not improve.; Rural development programs implemented in Mexico have followed different paradigms: the Green Revolution (Puebla Plan); Basic Human Needs (PIDER); Integrated Rural Development (PRONADRI); Training & Visit (PROCATI); Structural Adjustment (SAM and PRONAL); and since 1990 participation and farmer-centered resource management encourage by Alianza para el Campo. Policies of decentralization, privatization of institutions and services in the agricultural sector, and participation of communities in planning, implementing and evaluating their own development programs were encouraged in the presidential period of Ernesto Zedillo, and they are also encouraged by the administration of President Fox (2000–2006). However, agricultural sector participants who were interviewed for this study indicate that for participation to be effective, state institutions need to become more efficient in supporting producers and that decentralization requires that producers have access to the decision-making process and to financial resources.