Maya immigrants embrace ancient farming techniques in Nebraska

In Nebraska's fields, Maya farmers from Latin America are revitalizing the landscape with traditional milpa farming practices, designed to enrich biodiversity and mitigate climate change impacts.

Anja Nilsson reports for Feet in 2 Worlds.

In short:

• The milpa farming method intercrops various plants to maintain soil integrity and enhance ecosystem health.
• Luis Marcos leads Nebraska's Maya community in implementing these sustainable practices as a way of cultural and environmental preservation.
• This initiative counters monoculture's drawbacks and aligns with global efforts to leverage nature-based solutions for climate change.

Why this matters:

Rooted in a Mesoamerican method of intercropping corn, beans, and squash, milpa encourages biodiversity and has become increasingly relevant as a sustainable model in the face of climate change. As the global community seeks effective strategies to manage climate change, embracing indigenous knowledge offers a viable path forward.

Related: Alexa White argues that the global food system is failing small-scale farmers — and suggests some ways we can fix this.