Agroforestry in Mexico: Can the past be a guarantee for the future?

Some aspects of agroforestry systems in Mexico are reviewed, including the chinampas, a unique type of prehispanic home-garden, still in use today, mainly in the Mexico valley; the Huastec té'lom (in the north of Veracruz State) an agroforestry technique used by the farmers for sustainable exploitation of natural resources; and forest-farming among the Maya (Yucatan), a production strategy which has evolved over a long period. Some other, more recent agroforesting techniques are also reviewed. The discussion emphasizes the biological, ecological and social significance of agroforestry systems. Agroforestry, however, must be considered within its socio-economic context. Assessing the needs and potentialities of a region must be the first step towards integrating agroforestry systems into the socio-economic realities of today.