Artisanal Products and Land-Use Land-Cover Change in Indigenous Communities: The Case of Mezcal Production in Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Artisanal products are considered an alternative to industrial production; however, upon entering global commodity markets, pressures are placed on the territories and customary governance of producer communities. Through the lenses of land system science and telecouplings, this paper examines the links connecting global markets and artisanal products, using the case of mezcal production in an Indigenous community in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the resulting impacts to LULC (land-use and land-cover) dynamics and associated governance. Data were collected through document review, semi-structured interviews, and LULC analysis comparing the years 1993, 2001, 2013, and 2019. Agave crops expanded from 6 to 14% during 1993–2001, stabilized through 2001–2013, and expanded from 14 to 22% during 2013–2019. Market dynamics played a crucial role in the resultant LULC changes, with the biggest impact on tropical dry forest (TDF). The LULC results were coupled with tequila markets during the first two periods, while the third period was linked to new mezcal markets. Our research shows how artisanal production can drive LULC changes. However, customary governance institutions can mediate the relationship between producers and markets to support more sustainable management of territorial resources, including TDF as an ecologically important but locally undervalued forest type.