Evaluating sustainability of conventional and organic dairy cattle production units in the Zoque Region of Chiapas, Mexico

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of sustainability of conventional and organic dairy cattle production units (CPU) in the Zoque Region of the Mexican state of Chiapas through evaluating attributes and indicators of sustainability and through a sustainability index (SI) value. Four organic or conventional CPU with high or low SI values were identified. The organic CPU with high SI had the highest SI value. The attribute of sustainability self-management contributed more to the SI value. All CPU need to strengthen some of the attributes of sustainability evaluated.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainability attributes
• sustainability indicators
• sustainability index
• agrosilvopastoral systems
• MESMIS

Acknowledgement

The Authors thank to the project “Family Farming: Facingthe Complexity of its Adaptation to the Globalized Context”, coordinated by Dr. Luis García Barrios in ECOSUR, for the partial support to develop the research. Cooperating producers are also thanked.