CLOUD FOREST CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH AGRIFOOD TECHNOLOGY WITH FOREST GRAZING SYSTEMS

Abstract

The Mountain Mesophyll Forest (MMF) in the central region of Veracruz presents a complex problem, because it is the only one in the country with urban settlements. This entails the development of economic activities that place the ecosystem at risk; and the change in land use for livestock production which has generated its fragmentation. The integrated agricultural and livestock systems, through practices of diversification and interaction between their components, foster the emergence of new properties of the system that help to counteract the environmental impact that livestock production activities currently generate. An example of this are Forest Grazing Systems, which can be a source of wealth and social development for MMF inhabitants, reducing the environmental impact that the livestock activity generates and promoting the regeneration of the landscape. Ways to implement this are suggested.