International Work - Mexico Markets

The domestic market for Mexican organic products is currently in the early stages of development. Indeed, today only about 15% of national organic production is consumed within Mexico, and just 5% is marketed specifically as organic (meaning approximately two thirds of the organic products consumed in Mexico are sold as if they were conventional). However, while just ten years ago there was essentially no local market for organic goods, today a considerable number of initiatives are devoted to the development of local channels for the marketing and sale of organic products. For example, a number of stores, restaurants and cafes that specialize in natural and/or organic products have been opened (primarily in and around Mexico City), and some Mexican mainstream grocery stores have begun to offer certain organic goods, notably dairy products and apple juice.

In addition to these initiatives, beginning in 1999 a growing number of local organic markets have been opened in communities across the country. Supported by committed producers and consumers, in many cases these markets are also linked to universities or non-governmental organizations. In contrast to the mainstream organic sector, these markets are not merely organic, but also place a heavy emphasis on offering goods that are produced locally by small scale producers. The primary functions and benefits of these markets include: to organize and coordinate direct production-consumption networks for organic products; to offer ecological products at prices that are fair for both producers and consumers; to connect city dwellers with the countryside; to create ecological and social conscience regarding responsible production and consumption; to promote the philosophy of organic agriculture; to stimulate consumption of local and regional organic products; to limit the transportation and packaging of food products; to distribute technical and scientific information amongst producers as well as the general public; and to offer space for cultural and community events.

The Birth of 13 Local Organic Markets in Mexico

1. El Tianguis del Círculo de Producción y Consumo Responsable (The Circle of Responsible Production and Consumption Market), Guadalajara, Jalisco

The local organic market initiative with the longest history began in 1996 in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. In its earliest phase, the Guadalajara initiative did not function as a weekly market, but rather as an Eco-shop organized by the Ecologist Collective of Jalisco. This shop offered organic, recycled and biodegradable products, workshops and lectures on relevant topics, a small library, and a café that served vegetarian dishes using primarily organic ingredients. In October 1998 the Ecologist Collective collaborated with the local Goethe Institute to organize a workshop on fair trade and organic production in Mexico and Germany. During this workshop the idea of a weekly organic market was proposed and thus, in April of 1999 the Guadalajara Eco-shop was closed and replaced by the Circle of Responsible Production and Consumption Market.

Today the Guadalajara market takes place every Saturday from noon until 2pm and has 15 participating vendors. The products offered at the market include: fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, honey, coffee, baked goods, preserves, mole, tortillas, tostadas, medicinal plants, compost materials, and information about environmental topics. The clientele is very devoted, particularly as many have been involved with the initiative since the days of the Eco-shop, and many local farmers are also involved in workshops on organic agriculture offered by the Ecologist Collective. In 2005, the Eco-shop reopened its doors in order to provide a space where people can buy organic products during the week.

2. El Mercado Ecológico Ocelotl (Ocelotl Ecological Market), Xalapa, Veracruz

In 2003, a few years following the opening of the market in Guadalajara, three more local organic markets opened in Mexico. The first of these was inaugurated in August and is located in Xalapa in the state of Veracruz. The seeds for the Xalapa market were sown when a group of citizens concerned about the environment in general, and specifically about food safety and security, decided to organize a local fair to showcase organic products. They contacted officials in the nearby rural municipality of Teocelo who helped them locate local organic farmers. Together, the Xalapa consumers worked with the Teocelo producers and were able to celebrate three organic product fairs in Teocelo. These fairs were so successful that it was decided there was enough interest to open a more regularly functioning market. As such, in August 2003 the Xalapa market opened with the participation of 27 organic and natural producers, three quarters of whom were small scale urban farmers, many with other professions in addition to food production.

The market is held in donated space owned by the University of Veracruz, an arrangement facilitated by the fact that the market coordinator is employed by the university. It was initially conceived of as a bioregional project where only local goods would be sold; however, in order to meet consumers’ basic needs, the supply was expanded to include products from other parts of the country. Today there are approximately 40 producers participating in the market and it sees about 400 consumers every Sunday. The market offers products such as fruits and vegetables, honey, baked goods, pulque, artisanal items, and herbal medicines and beauty products. In addition, visitors to the market can participate in weekly workshops or lectures on a wide variety of topics and have a meal at the organic cafeteria.

3. El Tianguis Orgánico Chapingo (Chapingo Organic Market), Chapingo, México

The Chapingo Organic Market initiative was born as a result of the will of a group professors, researchers and students from the University of Chapingo who were interested in organic agriculture and the consumption of organic products. This group organized courses and workshops on organic agriculture, as well as tasting sessions where members of the public could sample organic products.

These developments had their roots in research conducted for an undergraduate thesis on organic agriculture in 1996. This thesis was the first work to present verified data regarding the area devoted to organic production in Mexico, and it also highlighted the important role played by indigenous groups in developing the organic movement without having received any government support. Despite the importance of this academic work, the above mentioned group wanted to go beyond an abstract or theoretical understanding of organics and form concrete linkages with organic producers in the region.

As such, the Network of Organic Consumers in Chapingo was born. This network included undergraduate and graduate students, administrative and academic staff from the Centre for Social, Economic and Technological Research in Global Agriculture and Agroindustry (CIESTAAM) and the University of Chapingo, and eventually consumers from the neighbouring town of Texcoco as well. By 2003, the number of participants (both consumers and producers) in this network had grown to the such an extent (more than 50 families of consumers) that it was decided to convert the network into a fully functioning market. The university supported this decision by providing an abandoned former university store free of charge as a market space, and in November of that year the Chapingo market was officially inaugurated. During the opening ceremony, then Rector of the university (Dr. Barrales) emphasized the importance of initiatives such as the organic market, which are a means of creating concrete linkages between educational institutions and their surrounding communities.

Today, the Chapingo Organic Market opens every Saturday from 10am to 3pm and there are more than 20 tables (some integrating three generations of families) participating. There are a growing number of consumers who come from the surrounding communities and also, in many cases, from Mexico City, which is about an hour away. The products offered include fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, eggs, baked goods, honey, coffee, processed goods such as syrups, oils, salsas and dried fruits, biodegradable cleaning and beauty products and artisan work. Although the focus is on local products, a limited number of imported goods (wine and soy products) are also offered because they are not currently available produced in Mexico. In addition, consumers can enjoy a brunch of tlacoyos, quesadillas or tamales and drink a coffee, chocolate or hibiscus juice. All products are separated, with the use of large signs, into sections depending on whether they are organic, natural or biodegradable. The market does not just offer goods for sale – it also has a small library with books about environmental and organic agriculture issues, an information table with books and pamphlets, and a space to hold educational workshops for children and adults.

The Organic Market in Chapingo is managed by an organizational committee that meets once a week in order to attend to the large number of requests for information, or to become more involved, on the part of producers and consumers. In addition, it has a participatory organic certification committee, made up of producers, consumers, professors and students, that works to certify the organic products for sale at a community level. No producer can enter the Chapingo Organic Market without first having their production certified as organic or natural by this committee. Experiences with this form of organic certification are relatively new in Mexico, and indeed at a global level. In order to promote the idea of participatory certification, and of the local organic markets, people involved in the Chapingo Organic Market have attended national and international (Canada and Germany) conferences and also publish a variety of informational materials.

4. Mercado Ecológico ‘El Pochote’ (El Pochote Ecological Market), Oaxaca

The third market to open in 2003 is located in the city of Oaxaca, in one of the states well known for its organic products (primarily coffee and cocoa for export). Unlike the other markets, which went through lengthy development processes before establishing themselves as weekly events, the Oaxaca market opened its doors in November of 2003 after just 2 months of planning. The process was accelerated in Oaxaca because it occurred as part of a protest against the proposed opening of a McDonald’s outlet in the city centre and the hope was to open the market before the McDonald’s. The project was initiated by a group of interested scholars, artists, and other citizens who invited a number of local producers to take part in the organizational phase. After a series of planning meetings the market was opened to the public in the courtyard of a cinema club in a house once lived in by one of the organizers.

The market received a great deal of interest and support within many sectors of Oaxacan society and was successful enough to justify opening on both Fridays and Saturdays. Today the market boasts a loyal clientele and a wide variety of products, including: fruits and vegetables, dairy products, jams, coffee, honey, chocolate, mezcal, salsas, mole, amaranth, granola, tostadas, traditional desserts, flowers, alternative medicine, recycled paper, artisanal goods, jewellery, and traditional clothing. The organic certification agency Certimex has begun certifying these products and also offers those involved in the market assistance regarding the understanding and application of organic standards. In addition, the market offers workshops and conferences on environmental issues, cooking classes, services such as reflexology, massage, and traditional medicine, and is also the site of a thriving seed bank.

In 2006 the ‘Pochote’ market had to close temporarily as a result of the political problems that gripped the State of Oaxaca, and its capital city in particular. However, in 2007 the market reopened with an even greater number of producers (40) and consumers.

5. Mercado Alternativo Tlaxcala (Tlaxcala Alternative Market), Tlaxcala

Over the past 20 years several non-governmental organizations have been working on agroecological development in the Tlaxcala region, offering capacity building and training in organic agriculture techniques. However, although many of these projects were successful ecologically, farmers were not receiving adequate economic benefit or social recognition for their environmentally sustainable production because they were forced to sell at poor prices to middlemen. As a result of this situation, the NGOs working with the farmers decided it was necessary to create an alternative market in which local farmers could interact directly with consumers. The interested parties began to meet seriously in 2003 and spent a year and a half searching for a suitable space to hold their organic market. Finally, in 2005, a local church offered the use of its garden and the Tlaxcala market was able to official open its doors to the public.

The market faced another challenge when the church leadership changed and the space became unavailable; however, persistent efforts to find a new space paid off and eventually the municipal government agreed that the market could be held in a plaza directly in front of the church. Today, the market is held outdoors each Sunday and has a growing number of customers and vendors. The products available include: amaranth, tortillas, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, dairy products, meat, and a wide variety of prepared meals such as quesadillas, barbacoa, tacos, and tlacoyos.

6. Multibiocultural Orgánico (Organic Multibiocultural Market), Oaxaca

In 2005, 2 years after the formation of the ‘Pochote’ market in Oaxaca, a group of participants in that market decided to branch out on their own. Citing a different vision of what they wanted the organic market to be as well as the need to create more spaces for the sale of organic goods, this group of about 18 people founded the Multibiocultural Market as the city of Oaxaca’s second fully functioning organic market. In its initial phases, this market did not have a fixed location. Instead, it opened several weekends in a local church, then in a soccer stadium. Eventually, the archbishop of Oaxaca offered to host the market free of charge in his seminary.

Today, the market is open between 9am and 3pm on both Fridays and Saturdays and it has 7 tables, representing approximately 35 producers, some of whom also participate in the ‘Pochote’ market. The products offered include: vegetables (although a limited supply), hibiscus, sesame, chocolate, mezcal, tamarind, honey, coffee, whole grain bread, meat (emu and beef), cheese and artisan work (clothing, crafts, jewellery, etc.). In addition, the market has developed a partnership with the Slow Food movement and representatives of this movement often come to the market and cook traditional dishes (e.g. stuffed peppers, tacos, etc.) for customers to enjoy. The market atmosphere also includes live music on many occasions, and there is always a great deal of discussion amongst producers and consumers regarding a wide range of issues, such as nutrition, composting, and environmental sustainability.

7. Mercado Ecológico Xicote (Xicote Ecological Market), Xico, Veracruz

The market in Xico was founded by several people who had been involved in the formation of the nearby Xalapa market, including a producer from Teocelo who was part of the initial organic fairs held in the region. The initiative is relatively small, but has a highly committed core group of participants who give the market an intimate, friendly, community feeling. Held in the courtyard of the local tourism office, the market opens every Sunday from 11am to 5pm and the products available include: fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, eggs, coffee, chocolate, liqueurs, and artisan work. In addition, the participants often show educational videos and hold discussions on environmental and social justice issues.

8. Mercado Bio-regional Coatl (Coatl Bio-regional Market), Coatepec, Veracruz

The town of Coatepec is located just half an hour outside of Xalapa, and many people are involved in the organic markets in both locations. Indeed, the Coatepec initiative began as an extension of the Xalapa market. Because of its great success, participants in the Xalapa market (which takes place on Sundays) decided to set up their stands on Saturdays in the neighbouring town in order to reach out to a wider variety of consumers. Eventually, the Coatepec market became successful enough in its own right that one of the participants decided to become full time coordinator of the new initiative. Today many vendors continue to sell their products in both markets, while some have decided to sell only in Coatepec. Also just a half hour away from Xico, several representatives from that market also make the weekly trip to Coatepec to sell their goods.

The Coatepec market is held every Saturday in the town’s cultural centre and offers a wide variety of products, including: fruits and vegetables, baked goods, honey, dairy products, eggs, chocolate, coffee, sesame, pulque and artisanal goods. In addition, it has a small café where consumers can buy a wide variety of prepared meals. Although it is not a weekly occurrence, the market often organizes speakers and events. For example, in April, 2007 the market hosted an organic product fair, inviting participants from around the country to showcase their goods and present their work.

9. Mercado Orgánico San José del Cabo (San José del Cabo Organic Market), Baja California Sur

Over the past 15 year, Los Cabos has become a highly popular destination for people from all over the world. Many come as tourists, but a fair number have also stayed to make a home for themselves and, as a result, the community has developed a fairly cosmopolitan atmosphere with a number of large supermarkets offering a wide variety of goods imported from around the world. It was within this context that a group of friends (some Mexican and some foreigners living in Los Cabos) decided to begin an alternative market that would focus on the sale of local products. The market opened in December, 2004 as a fairly informal initiative held in one of the organizer’s personal gardens, and with the participation of approximately 10 producers. Because the majority of the products offered in Los Cabos are seasonal, this first market initiative closed in May, 2005.

In November of the same year however, the Los Cabos market reopened, this time in a more formal location (the garden of a former riding club) and with the participation of more than 30 vendors. Today, the market continues to run on a seasonal basis and offers a wide variety of products including fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, ornamental plants, clothing, jewellery, crafts, recycled paper, natural soaps and oils, and prepared food. In addition, music is an integral part of the Los Cabos market spirit, and someone is almost always playing drums or guitar, or acting as a DJ.

10. Red de Consumidores Responsables Comida Cerca y Sana (Close and Healthy Food Network of Responsible Consumers), San Cristóbal, Chiapas

In San Cristóbal, the idea to develop an organic market began with a group of women (some with small children) who were close friends and shared a deep concern about the quality and safety of the food they and their families were consuming. These women were aware that a great deal of organic production in the region was sold as conventional because of a lack of market opportunities for organic producers. As such, they decided to seek out these producers and develop a mutually beneficial relationship, in which the producer would be recognized for the quality of his or her ecological production and the consumer would have access to food produced in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Because of a lack of sufficiently stable supply and demand as well as an adequate space, the San Cristobal initiative is not yet functioning as a weekly market open to the public. Instead, the project works by allowing consumers to make weekly orders which are put together by volunteers and can then be picked up and paid for at a central location. The project has grown quickly, and today there are 70 families integrated into the network. Products available for order include: fruits and vegetables, herbs, honey, coffee, tortillas, tostadas, whole wheat bread, rabbit, eggs, and dairy products.

11. Mercado Coexcomate (Coexcomate Market), Cuautla, Morelos

The initial driving force behind the market in Cuautla was a woman who, for years, regularly attended the organic market in Chapingo while visiting her son who lived in Mexico City. Eager to become more involved in the organic movement, this woman participated in meetings regarding the local organic markets held at the University of Chapingo, and gradually learned more about how the market initiatives worked. She also became involved with local organic producers in Morelos after seeing a documentary on organic production in the state. In 2004, at a workshop on organic agriculture held in Morelos, she publicly proposed the idea of forming an organic market in Cuautla, and the planning process began in earnest.

In November 2006, after a great deal of organizational effort, particularly on the part of four very motivated consumers, the Cuautla market opened its doors. Held in the atrium of a local church, approximately 35 producers showed up for the grand opening, many from neighbouring market initiatives. Unfortunately, after just a few weeks, the church withdrew its support and the market was forced to close down for lack of space. After a lengthy struggle with the municipal government, the Cuautla market received permission to use the city’s cultural centre (for 200 pesos per week) and was thus able to reopen in May, 2007. Currently, each Sunday between 6 and 10 producers participate and each contributes to the payment of the rent. The space is relatively isolated, but it is hoped that publicity efforts will pay off and more consumers will begin to visit. The products offered in Cuautla include artisanal soaps, biodegradable detergents, amaranth, tortillas, wine, coffee, some fruits and vegetables, and prepared vegetarian meals. In addition, a producer from the market in Tlaxcala makes the trip to Cuautla every two weeks to deliver pulque, bread and rabbit meat.

12. Tianguis Alternativo Puebla: Tlajke Nawake (Puebla Alternative Market: Near and Together), Puebla

Also associated with the local university, the organic market initiative in Puebla has been in its planning and organizational phase for some time, but has not yet been converted into a fully functioning market. Initially, the primary problem was a lack of adequate space but, even after securing a location, organizational problems amongst producers continue to inhibit the opening of the market. In spite of the challenges facing the Puebla initiative, the organizers are working hard behind the scenes to find organic farmers willing to participate as vendors and to ensure the availability of a space that can be used consistently to host the market. Currently the products they plan to offer when the market opens include: coffee, amaranth, hibiscus, fruit, baked goods, dairy products, herbs and spices, jams, and biodegradable cleaning and beauty products. Like most fully functioning markets, the Puebla initiative also plans to include educational workshops and other activities such as alternative medicine and cultural performances within the market.

13. Tianguis Alternativa Bosque de Agua (Rainforest Alternative Market), Metepec, México

In early 2006 a group of Metepec residents, the majority of whom were women with children, began to meet to discuss issues of food, family health, and the environment. They educated themselves about organic agriculture and its benefits in terms of providing healthy food, protecting the environment, and supporting farmers. Eager to reach out to the public, the initial group organized capacity building workshops for adults and children on topics such as responsible consumption, organic products and production, participatory organic certification, and vegetarian cooking, and also worked to develop links with local organic and natural producers.

In February of the same year the organic market in Metepec officially opened its doors to the public with the participation of 11 organizers and approximately 15 producers. The market was inaugurated in the local cultural centre with the support of the municipal government; however, this support was withdrawn after a very short time, forcing organizers to seek a new location for the market. Unfortunately the new space, where the market is held today, charges rent that must be paid by the participating producers. This, along with other challenges such as the cost of transportation to get to the market, has caused several producers to leave the project. Today, the market is organized by a committee of 4 people and has 9 participating producers. It is held every Wednesday between 10am and 3pm and the products available include fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products, bread, processed goods such as jams and salsas, grains, tofu, coffee, honey, sweets and biodegradable goods. In addition, the market organizes cultural and educational events.

The Initiation of the Mexican Network of Organic Markets

In 2004, the four existing organic markets (Guadalajara, Chapingo, Xalapa and Oaxaca’s Pochote) decided to organize themselves into a network and, with considerable support from both the University of Chapingo and the Falls Brook Centre (a Canadian NGO), the Mexican Network of Organic Markets was born. The benefits of consolidating individual markets in the form of a national network include: ensuring that each market can learn from both positive and negative experiences in other markets; supporting new market initiatives; creating a sense of solidarity; helping boost consumer confidence in the organic products offered through the markets; providing information sharing opportunities regarding organic agriculture issues; and giving those involved with local organic markets a greater national presence and voice. An example of the power of networking occurred during the recent development of a national law governing organic agriculture, as the Network was able to lobby effectively for the inclusion of participatory certification (see below for more information) in the new legislation. This achievement would likely have been impossible had the markets not been organized in the form of a network.

Since the formation of the Network, the number of organic market initiatives across the country has grown rapidly, and the Network has provided invaluable logistical as well as moral support to these new endeavours. Relying heavily on the organizational assistance of the University of Chapingo and the financial assistance provided by the Falls Brook Centre, the Network has been able to have several annual meetings, where representatives from markets and market initiatives across the country gather to share their experiences. These meetings are extremely important in terms of allowing people to share information and exchange expertise. For example, in March 2007, the Network hosted a two day workshop on organic agriculture, focusing on pest management, and provided participants with resources to bring back to their home markets. These meetings also serve as brainstorming sessions, where new ideas regarding how to shape the future of local organics in Mexico are born. In addition, they provide useful opportunities for those involved in the markets to work together to address some of the considerable challenges that face the local organic movement in Mexico.

A Shared Vision

Although each market that participates in the Network is an independent entity, with its own distinct characteristics, in a general sense a shared vision exists regarding the goals that these markets strive to achieve. Perhaps the most obvious goal of the organic markets is to improve the environment by supporting an ecological form of agriculture that does not pollute the air, soil or water with toxic chemicals. However, the markets that form the Network are not merely concerned with the environmental issues associated with the conventional agro-food system. Instead, those involved with the Network tend to view sustainability in much broader terms, acknowledging that in order to be truly sustainable it is important to focus not just on environmental factors, but also on social and economic justice.

As such, another main goal of the Mexican organic markets is to make healthy, safe, organic products more readily available to Mexicans, and not just those who can afford to pay high premiums, but rather to as broad a cross section of the population as possible. In order to help achieve this goal, an extremely important element of the organic markets is that they focus on goods produced locally by small scale farmers, as well as on linking consumers directly with producers. By reducing the transportation and packaging of products and by eliminating intermediaries, or middlemen, the organic markets make it possible for small scale producers to earn more from their production while at the same time offering relatively affordable prices to consumers. Supporting local production-consumption networks and direct producer-consumer relationships also serves a more philosophical purpose, as it highlights the importance of building community solidarity and relationships of trust as a means of improving social cohesion.

Indeed, the organic markets are not conceived of as simple places where people go to buy and sell goods. Rather, they are meant to be community spaces where commerce and consumption can become a political, social, ethical, educational, and enjoyable act. In an effort to combine these various elements, the vast majority of the Network’s markets offer a wide variety of workshops, lectures, and other activities for both adults and children. In addition, many also host cultural events such as dance or music performances, or other special events such as anniversary celebrations or fairs. As a result, the markets are dynamic initiatives that seek to support organic agriculture in a truly holistic sense, helping move towards environmental, social, and environmental sustainability.

Common Challenges

Although the number of local organic markets in Mexico is growing rapidly and there are a considerable number of highly committed producers, consumers, and organizers working tirelessly in support of the movement, each market confronts some significant challenges, and many of these are common across the Network. One of the primary challenges for each market is the struggle to secure the physical and human resources required in order to function. For example, many initiatives have been restricted by a lack of space in which to hold a market and, in some cases, this issue has even forced markets to close down. Unfortunately, market profits are generally not yet at a level that enables the payment of rent, and this means that the initiatives rely on donated space in order to function. In addition, although some markets take advantage of connections with universities and NGOs that have access to some funds and resources, in general, as is the case with space, the initiatives also rely on a great deal of donated labour. For example, coordinators do not receive a salary, and the organizational activities of the markets are almost all done without payment. This reliance on volunteer labour makes the markets vulnerable to fluctuations in the amount of time that people are willing and able to commit to unpaid work.

While a lack of funds presents a significant challenge to the daily functioning of the organic markets, it also makes it difficult to pursue training and education in organic agriculture to the degree that most involved in the Network would like. Indeed, significant numbers of producers have demonstrated interest in converting to organic production and entering into an organic market, but they lack the expertise to convert on their own, and cannot access sufficient resources to assist them in the endeavour. The lack of access to organic agriculture extension services exacerbates another problem in terms of growing local organic markets – insufficient supply of locally produced organic goods. In fact, although insufficient demand is often cited as a problem for local organics, the reality for many existing organic markets is that consumers sometimes come looking for goods and find them either sold out or not currently available. In response to this problem, an important activity for the Network, and for each individual market, is the constant search for new producers who can help expand the supply of existing products as well as introduce new products for sale at market. In addition, the Network would like to facilitate the inter-market exchange of products; however, a lack of funding for transportation makes this currently impossible.

Related to the issue of a stable supply of organic products, another major challenge confronting local organic markets is that economic and bureaucratic barriers make it difficult for the small scale producers involved to obtain organic certification. As such, ensuring the integrity of the products for sale can be difficult. Indeed, around the world certification by widely recognized bodies such as the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) remains out of reach for many producers who cannot afford the high costs involved and/or do not have the necessary expertise to navigate the extensive bureaucratic steps required to complete the certification process. Small farm size and extensive crop diversity are also problematic for achieving mainstream certification. In response to this issue, the organic markets that participate in the Network support the notion of participatory certification, and are working to develop smoothly functioning participatory certification systems. This alternative form of organic certification, which is becoming more and more common particularly in countries of the Global South, relies on the same norms and standards used by organizations such as the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OCIA. What makes it different is that it employs simple verification procedures, minimal bureaucracy and costs, and in most cases also incorporates an element of environmental and social education for both producers and consumers.

Conclusions

The explosive growth of the Mexican Network of Organic Markets demonstrates that there is growing interest on the part of both Mexican producers and consumers to work together to create sustainable food systems. Based on the ideals of increasing links between producers and consumers and providing high quality organic goods at a price that is fair for everyone involved, these markets are a means to help broaden the reach of the organic movement and simultaneously return it to its philosophical roots. By facilitating the involvement of small scale producers and encouraging a focus on local food networks, the notion of participatory certification furthers this effort. Indeed, although still in its early phases, the Mexican experience with local organic markets and participatory certification offers an important alternative, not only to the conventional food sector, but also to the industrialized, export-oriented, ‘mainstream’ organic sector.

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