Sustainability assessment of mixed farming systems among farmer field school participants in Zacatecas, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To assess the sustainability of mixed farming systems among producers participating in Farmer Field Schools in ten municipalities of Zacatecas, Mexico, and identify strengths and areas needing intervention.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A structured, participatory survey was conducted with 58 producers. The survey covered five sustainability dimensions: economic, environmental, social, technical-productive, and climate resilience. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and ordinal logistic regression.

Results: The findings indicated that 50% of producers reached a medium sustainability level, 36% high, and 14% low. The environmental dimension scored the highest, while technical-productive and climate resilience showed the greatest weaknesses. Agricultural surface area was the only significant predictor of sustainability (p < 0.05), suggesting that land access supports adopting agroecological practices.

Limitations/Implications of the study: The cross-sectional design restricts the ability to track changes over time. Future longitudinal studies are recommended to evaluate the long-term effects of technical assistance and training programs over time.

Findings/Conclusions: Access to productive resources and strengthening technical and organizational capacity are crucial for moving toward resilient, sustainable mixed farming systems in semi-arid areas.