Urban Wetlands for Smart-Water Agriculture
Summary
Mexico City's wetlands, home to chinampas (floating gardens), provide a range of ecosystem services, in addition to being a highly productive agricultural system. However, rapid urbanization and limited political will have resulted in poor protection and restoration of the unique agro-ecological landscape.
The wetlands around Mexico City are home to chinampas, a unique agro-ecological landscape in shallow lakes that are one of the world's most productive and sustainable agricultural systems. The area surrounding Mexico City is swampy and not especially fertile, however, the Aztec construction of chinampas has allowed the land to become fertile and arable. The preservation of the chinampa agricultural system provides important ecosystem services to Mexico City including, but not limited to, water filtration, temperature regulation, and flood prevention (UNESCO, n.d.). Chinampas also represent a unique urban agriculture opportunity, offering an alternative source of food that is both water-sensitive and renewable (UNESCO, n.d.). Chinampas, located in the boroughs of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Milpa Alta, represent 2% of their original size due to increasing urbanization trends and encroachment (FAO, 2018).
Intervention
The chinampas cover an area of approximately 750 hectares, farmed by between 5,000 - 10,000 farmers. In addition to the benefits of wetlands, they offer a water-sensitive method of sustainable agriculture that is biodiverse and renewable (Godoy, 2016). The wetlands of Mexico City, on which chinampas are built, help filter water, regulate weather patterns, buffer against storms, support clean air, and protect the native species of flora and fauna in and around the region (Erbel, 2019). Currently, the agricultural activities of the chinampas complement the urban dynamics of Mexico City and enhance the megacity's resilience through filtering water, regulating temperatures, buffering against storms, supporting clean air, and protecting native species, in addition to providing sustainable food (MND, 2020).
Chinampas are rectangular gardens reclaimed from the marshy lake beds, built by piling up the soil on a mat of sticks, using wattle as fencing, and willow trees at the corners to secure the beds (Godoy, 2016). The dimensions of chinampas vary, but the average bed size is approximately 6 to 10m wide and 100 to 200m long (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). The construction of a chinampa consists of several steps, including outlining the perimeter of the 'floating island' and filling the structure with two layers of soil, one with organic matter and one made out of mud (FAO, 2021). The water in the canals around the chinampas can be very polluted with toxins and heavy metals. To reduce the likelihood of contaminating the food, some farmers are experimenting with biofiltration techniques, which involve digging small canals in the chinampas and using a procession of plants to filter water, which will be used for irrigation at a later date (Pett & Ashtari, 2019).
Challenges
Despite being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site (since 1987), recognized by the Ramsar Convention, and a Natural Protected Area by the federal government, the wetlands and chinampas are under threat due to increasing trends in population growth and urbanization (MND, 2020). There is limited municipal, state, and national government funding for chinampas and relatively little international involvement. In December 2012, the Mexico City council established an authority for the Xochimilco heritage area to retain its World Heritage status, tasked with restoring biodiversity in and around the wetlands (Saliba, 2015). An action plan that defined planning tools and resources allocation to ensure the conservation of the chinampas was adopted and backed by a USD 1.65 million donation from the French Fund for the Global Environment (Saliba, 2015; UNESCO, n.d.). The implementation of the action plan remains limited, considering the continued urbanization and development in and around the wetlands.
Presently, one major threat to the chinampas system is the continued urbanization of Mexico City. Rapid urbanization has led to illegal development, pollution, and contamination of water resources, and a growing urban population encroaching on the wetlands (Eulich, 2018). Moreover, for the chinampas system to continue, the transition back to small-scale agricultural production needs buy-in from local farmers (FAO, 2021). Finally, Mexico City is prone to earthquakes, damaging canals - a key component of chinampas. These are essential considerations when implementing a similar practice that transforms swamps and wetlands into flourishing production spaces through an integrated resources management approach. Protecting and revitalizing the chinampas requires concerted efforts at all government levels.
Outcomes
The chinampas generate, on average, 40 thousand tons of agricultural production per year (FAO, 2021). They represent an effective farming method that cleans and conserves water and does not require large swaths of land. Some organizations, such as Yolcan, are attempting to raise awareness of the chinampas through connecting farmers with top chefs in the city (Pett & Ashtari, 2019). In doing so, Yolcan has set a goal to generate 20,000 pesos (USD 1,025) per square kilometer per month for farmers (Pett & Ashtari, 2019). The chinampas have also become a tourist attraction where visitors ride through canals in boats (FAO, 2018).
The protection afforded to the wetlands is inadequate considering their social, cultural, ecological, and academic importance. A projection for the year 2057 assumes that in Xochimilco, without a concerted effort from the involved players (farmers and the municipal government), most of the current chinampa land will be converted to housing (Ebel, 2019). This will also result in a significant loss in national and global biodiversity (FAO, 2021).
References
Urban Wetlands for Smart-Water Agriculture
Summary
Mexico City's wetlands, home to chinampas (floating gardens), provide a range of ecosystem services, in addition to being a highly productive agricultural system. However, rapid urbanization and limited political will have resulted in poor protection and restoration of the unique agro-ecological landscape.
The wetlands around Mexico City are home to chinampas, a unique agro-ecological landscape in shallow lakes that are one of the world's most productive and sustainable agricultural systems. The area surrounding Mexico City is swampy and not especially fertile, however, the Aztec construction of chinampas has allowed the land to become fertile and arable. The preservation of the chinampa agricultural system provides important ecosystem services to Mexico City including, but not limited to, water filtration, temperature regulation, and flood prevention (UNESCO, n.d.). Chinampas also represent a unique urban agriculture opportunity, offering an alternative source of food that is both water-sensitive and renewable (UNESCO, n.d.). Chinampas, located in the boroughs of Xochimilco, Tláhuac, and Milpa Alta, represent 2% of their original size due to increasing urbanization trends and encroachment (FAO, 2018).
Issue
Intervention
The chinampas cover an area of approximately 750 hectares, farmed by between 5,000 - 10,000 farmers. In addition to the benefits of wetlands, they offer a water-sensitive method of sustainable agriculture that is biodiverse and renewable (Godoy, 2016). The wetlands of Mexico City, on which chinampas are built, help filter water, regulate weather patterns, buffer against storms, support clean air, and protect the native species of flora and fauna in and around the region (Erbel, 2019). Currently, the agricultural activities of the chinampas complement the urban dynamics of Mexico City and enhance the megacity's resilience through filtering water, regulating temperatures, buffering against storms, supporting clean air, and protecting native species, in addition to providing sustainable food (MND, 2020).
Chinampas are rectangular gardens reclaimed from the marshy lake beds, built by piling up the soil on a mat of sticks, using wattle as fencing, and willow trees at the corners to secure the beds (Godoy, 2016). The dimensions of chinampas vary, but the average bed size is approximately 6 to 10m wide and 100 to 200m long (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). The construction of a chinampa consists of several steps, including outlining the perimeter of the 'floating island' and filling the structure with two layers of soil, one with organic matter and one made out of mud (FAO, 2021). The water in the canals around the chinampas can be very polluted with toxins and heavy metals. To reduce the likelihood of contaminating the food, some farmers are experimenting with biofiltration techniques, which involve digging small canals in the chinampas and using a procession of plants to filter water, which will be used for irrigation at a later date (Pett & Ashtari, 2019).
Challenges
Despite being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site (since 1987), recognized by the Ramsar Convention, and a Natural Protected Area by the federal government, the wetlands and chinampas are under threat due to increasing trends in population growth and urbanization (MND, 2020). There is limited municipal, state, and national government funding for chinampas and relatively little international involvement. In December 2012, the Mexico City council established an authority for the Xochimilco heritage area to retain its World Heritage status, tasked with restoring biodiversity in and around the wetlands (Saliba, 2015). An action plan that defined planning tools and resources allocation to ensure the conservation of the chinampas was adopted and backed by a USD 1.65 million donation from the French Fund for the Global Environment (Saliba, 2015; UNESCO, n.d.). The implementation of the action plan remains limited, considering the continued urbanization and development in and around the wetlands.
Presently, one major threat to the chinampas system is the continued urbanization of Mexico City. Rapid urbanization has led to illegal development, pollution, and contamination of water resources, and a growing urban population encroaching on the wetlands (Eulich, 2018). Moreover, for the chinampas system to continue, the transition back to small-scale agricultural production needs buy-in from local farmers (FAO, 2021). Finally, Mexico City is prone to earthquakes, damaging canals - a key component of chinampas. These are essential considerations when implementing a similar practice that transforms swamps and wetlands into flourishing production spaces through an integrated resources management approach. Protecting and revitalizing the chinampas requires concerted efforts at all government levels.
Outcomes
The chinampas generate, on average, 40 thousand tons of agricultural production per year (FAO, 2021). They represent an effective farming method that cleans and conserves water and does not require large swaths of land. Some organizations, such as Yolcan, are attempting to raise awareness of the chinampas through connecting farmers with top chefs in the city (Pett & Ashtari, 2019). In doing so, Yolcan has set a goal to generate 20,000 pesos (USD 1,025) per square kilometer per month for farmers (Pett & Ashtari, 2019). The chinampas have also become a tourist attraction where visitors ride through canals in boats (FAO, 2018).
The protection afforded to the wetlands is inadequate considering their social, cultural, ecological, and academic importance. A projection for the year 2057 assumes that in Xochimilco, without a concerted effort from the involved players (farmers and the municipal government), most of the current chinampa land will be converted to housing (Ebel, 2019). This will also result in a significant loss in national and global biodiversity (FAO, 2021).
Issues |
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Water Loss and Efficiency |
Solutions |
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Sustainable Water Supply & Climate Solutions |
References
Chinampas in Mexico is an indigenous and highly sustainable agriculture system. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2021, August 6). Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://www.preventionweb.net/news/chinampas-mexico-indigenous-and-highly-sustainable-agriculture-system.
Chinampas of Mexico city were recognized as an agricultural Heritage system of global importance. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2018). Retrieved September 20, 2021, from http://www.fao.org/americas/noticias/ver/en/c/1118851/.
Critics say Mexico City's last wetlands threatened by bridge project. Mexico News Daily (MND). (2020, July 16). Retrieved September 18, 2021, from https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/critics-say-mexico-citys-last-wetlands-threatened-by-bridge-project/.
Ebel, R. (2020, February 1). Chinampas: An urban farming model of the Aztecs and a potential solution for Modern Megalopolis. horttech. Retrieved September 21, 2021, from https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/30/1/article-p13.xml.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (2017). Chinampa. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/chinampa.
Eulich, W. (2018). Floating Farm to Table. US News. Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-07-27/mexico-city-farmers-fight-to-preserve-floating-islands-chinampas.
Godoy, E. (2016, March 14). Mexico's Chinampas – Wetlands turned into Gardens – Fight Extinction. Inter Press Service. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from http://www.ipsnews.net/2016/02/mexicos-chinampas-wetlands-turned-into-gardens-fight-extinction/.
Historic centre of Mexico city and Xochimilco. UNESCO. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/412/.
Mueller, N. (2017, June 21). Testing the waters: How floating gardens could solve our biggest environmental challenges. Garden Collage Magazine. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://gardencollage.com/change/sustainability/testing-the-waters-how-floating-gardens-could-solve-our-biggest-environmental-challenges/.
Pett, S., & Ashtari, L. (2019, December 5). Photo essay: The last floating farms of Mexico City. Modern Farmer. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://modernfarmer.com/2019/12/photo-essay-the-last-floating-farms-of-mexico-city/.
Saliba, F. (2015, April 17). Development threatens to dry up Mexico City's floating market gardens. The Guardian. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/17/mexico-city-canals-chinampas-urban-development.