Abstract
The Cuxtal Ecological Reserve (REC) is located on the southern urban periphery of Mérida, in Yucatán, one of the most important tourist destinations in southeastern Mexico. It is a medium deciduous forest where there are still spaces for agricultural production, mainly backyards. This reserve is inhabited by approximately 17,598 people, of which 42% speak the Mayan language. According to the evidence collected in fieldwork, it was documented that this population has essential gastronomic and agroecological knowledge that was transmitted from generation to generation among the people of this reservoir of natural and cultural interest. The proximity of this reserve to a growing urban nucleus, such as the city of Mérida, represents a permanent threat to areas sensitive to ecological and cultural conservation. These communities are influenced by food globalization that characterizes the world’s cities. In this sense, the objective is to identify the culinary resources of the REC through in-depth interviews with the residents. Among the results obtained, it was determined that the reserve has the potential for developing sustainable tourism activities, such as food tourism, which favor the rescue of agroecological, culinary, and cultural knowledge while respecting cultural integrity, and essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems through the sustainable production of locally sourced food.
Presenters
Ana Laura González AlejoPostdoctoral Researcher, Social Geography, Geography Institute , Distrito Federal, Mexico Ana Rosa Rosales Tapia
Academic Technician, Geography Institute, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Food Production and Sustainability
KEYWORDS
FOOD TOURISM, TRADITIONAL CULINARY, SUSTAINABILITY
