Allison Stevens

Mexico History, Culture and Agricultural Systems Report Rough Draft

(In form of a bibliography)
Source 1: http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/index/en/?iso3=mex
(This source goes in depth about the agricultural systems of Mexico)
Dairy:
There are three prominent dairy systems in Mexico; Specialized, semispecialized, and Family-based. The Specialized system is very similar to the U.S.
systems in that they are large operations with no grazing, who feed a mix of fresh
forages, silage, and hay concentrates. Semi-specialized systems are very similar to
Specialized systems, except that they are too small to grow any of their own crops,
and must therefore purchase all of their feed, which lowers their profitability margin.
Finally, in the instance of Family-based systems, the dairies are much smaller, and
rely on the labor of family members or friends to keep things running; they usually
utilize some pasture grazing (which is another reason they must stay so small) and
almost never have the funds to purchase high quality forages, silages, or
concentrates.
Prominent Fruits and Vegetables:
Maize is the largest agricultural export of Mexico; in fact, Mexico is
second in the world for maize export. This is due to the ideal climate in Mexico
maize grows well at moderate to high elevation arid lands, of which Mexico has
many. It also does well with more forgiving climates, another thing Mexico has going
for it; there are much smaller ranges of temperature in central Mexico, where maize
is grown on a large scale. The moderate humidity is also an asset, because maize is
a grass and benefits greatly from a constant level of moisture. Most of the maize
grown for export in Mexico is done so on a large-scale, using large chunks of
farmland, rather than a lot of small, family-owned farms.
Agave is another of Mexicos largest exports, and something of a gem
of the native tropical plants in Mexico, and the South-Western U.S. Although it isnt
grown exclusively in Mexico, it is definitely most successful in the Mexican climate
at lower elevations, in more humid landscapes, not surprisingly, as it is a tropical
plant. The Agave plant has many uses, but perhaps its most famous is, of course,
the agave juices which are used to make tequila. Mexico exports a lot of agave to
other countries, including the U.S., and the industry is only growing. It is farmed on
large pockets of land in semi-costal Mexico, and processed both in the country
before export, or out of the country (though this is less common)
Source 2: http://www.ianphi.org/membercountries/memberinformation/mexico.html
(This is a reliable source regarding current health statistics of the populace in
Mexico)
Basic Statistics:

Average income/person - $14,340.00 USD

Common Causes of Death Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, liver
disease, lung disease
Infant Mortality Rate 14 deaths/1000 live births
Average life span 75 years
Public Health:
Too many people live in poverty; almost half of the total population.
The public water isnt clean enough to consume without risk of serious illness, even
death. The sanitary conditions of most public areas are sub-par at best, adding to
the critical risk for disease or infection. These conditions combined with the number
of people living in poverty create a cesspool of illness, malnutrition, and other
health problems and the cultural norms regarding everyday lifestyle dont help.
Smoking and drinking (alcohol) are still widely popular in even the more upper class
citizens lives as Mexico has not yet followed the U.S. in encouraging its people to
avoid these unhealthy habits. And while the INSP and other public health institutions
are growing, they are still not of adequate size or funding to put a serious stop to
these problems.
Nutrition:
The nutritive value of most food in Mexico is actually rather good. Most
of the fruits and vegetables, and even animal products, consumed in Mexico are
much fresher than those consumed in the U.S. and other large countries. And the
amount of fruits and vegetables consumed is higher per person than in the U.S.
However, the methods of cooking are still of a fairly low health quality lard and fat
are commonly used in almost every meal to add flavor to a dish, and while deserts
are usually healthier than in the U.S., it does not combat the effects of smoking and
drinking, which take place on a daily basis for most Mexicans. At, lastly, the
tendency to a sedentary lifestyle is helping no one it is seen as a sign of higher
class, to not have to labor as hard, so it is desirable to relax rather than go out and
exercise this is a direct reflection of Mexicans value of the class system.
Source 3 - http://www.donquijote.org/culture/mexico/society/customs/
(This source has a lot of information about cultural and religious customs in
Mexico)
Culture:
Derived from a combination of Aztec and Mayan ritualistic beliefs, the
culture of Mexico is more family-oriented and laid back than that of the U.S. In
Mexico, even in the workings of business, family comes first; it isnt uncommon for
businesspeople to make decisions in their work life that will benefit their home life
directly. It is also very important to Mexicans that people they work with know and
get along with their family and circle of friends. The Mexican people value personal
relationships to a much higher degree than most other developed countries.

Another large part of life in Mexico is the Roman Catholic Church even those who
are not Catholic by choice are deeply influenced by the beliefs and tendencies of
the church.
Another big difference between Mexico and the U.S. is the school
system in the U.S. a high school diploma is almost required to do anything, but in
Mexico, not all students go on to high school. In fact, more middle school graduates
go into Professional Technical training or directly to a job, than go into high school.
Because of this, their University system is also structured differently. For instance,
students that graduate a technical school are more likely to go straight to a job than
to go on to college and of those that do further their education, not all go to a
University, some go to a more refined private institute, or directly to a Masters
program.
Source 4 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook (handout from class)
(This is another source of cultural and historical information, but more
regarding food)
Food:
The primary influences on food in Mexico stem from a combination of
popular European styles and some more obscure countries; Africa, India, China. This
is because of the long and colorful past of the land that is not Mexico. Being
sandwiched between the U.S. and Central America, the land that makes up Mexico
has long been a very desired location. It has been invaded and conquered by
numerous small and large countries, including: the Aztec, the Mayan, Spain,
Napoleons followers, and the French. But in the end, the people of Mexico did earn
their independence, becoming the United States of Mexico in 1917, with their own
constitution and government they elected their first president and have been
steadily growing their wealth and stability ever since. However, as stated above, the
people of Mexico have been influenced by many cultures, and even with their
independence, they have not lost that influence. It is still quite apparent in their
food, religion, language, and interpersonal customs. Their meals are usually based
with corn and other vegetables, which is fairly unique, and almost foreign to
European cuisine. The choice of spices and seasonings is also quite vivid as they
generally favor much bolder tastes than the U.S.
The National Dish in Mexico is Mole poblano which is turkey in a chili sauce with
chocolate, seeds, nuts, and raisins. This is a very different kind of combination than
youd ever see in the U.S. The combination of sweet and savory foods is not very
popular in European countries, and is usually only seen in mimics of foreign foods.
However, in Mexico it is quite common to pair such unlikely foods on a day to day
basis. Another minor difference between the U.S. and Mexico is the meat of choice;
in the U.S. you could ask almost anyone and they would say Beef, maybe chicken,
but in Mexico it is undoubtedly pork.
Source 5 World Citizens Guide
(This contains a lot of good information about being a good traveler)

The difference:
Culture shock is unavoidable, however there are ways to lessen the
blow getting out of your room/hotel, talking to the natives, following locals to get
the flow of things, and trying new things will all help to better accustom you to the
new environment. Also, try not to think of home too much, but it is ok to bring
something that reminds you of home, just a small token, to make you feel more
comfortable in this new place. Its also important to remember that you are in a
different country, and it isnt just like the U.S. dont expect the same reactions to
your actions, or the same treatment. Most other nations value their elders a lot
more than the U.S. so be aware of that and make an effort to abide by such ideals.
Your behavior:
Be polite, respect others, and dont discuss politics/religion unless you
know it very well, are aware of the current standing of it in this country (Mexico),
and are ready to respond to many questions. Know the facts of where you are;
whos in charge of the country, what is their system of government, what is the
most common religion, what is the language, is there gender inequalities? Also
watch what you wear, in many countries, it is not ok to reveal as much skin as we
do in the U.S. In Mexico, men should not wear shorts in public, unless they are in a
resort; women should not show skin above their knee, below their collar bone, or
above their shoulders in public, unless in a resort or among family. Business wear
may be different there; in Mexico, formal attire is basically required for any business
meetings or dealings.