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Milpa
- introduction
- history
- henequen
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Introduction to Milpa
Milpa is one of the traditional methods of agriculture practised by farmers in Yucatán. Milpa can be described by a number of phrases, including 'slash and burn', 'swidden', or 'forest farming'. Milpa has played an important role in past agricultural systems, however the role that it will play in the future seems both uncertain and controversial.
A typical Milpa, with maize, visible rocky outcrops and forest in the background. Photo: D. Parsons.