Colored Heirloom Corn as a Public Good: The Case of Tlaxcala, Mexico

• Main Authors: Marisol Velázquez-Salazar, Germán Scalzo, Carmen Byker Shanks
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: biodiversity; colored heirloom corn; community-based enterprise; public goods; sustainable development; value chain
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/3/1507

Valorization of territories with diverse cultures and heritage has multiplied in recent years. This study analyzes the case of colored heirloom corn in Tlaxcala, Mexico, as a potential public good associated with the region’s biocultural heritage. The analysis conducted herein relies on a wide range of literature from relevant theory, including Geographical Indications, Global Value Chains, Community-Based Entrepreneurship, Public Goods, and Sustainable Development, in order to employ case study methodology. We leverage a novel approach to analyze the heirloom corn chain and its publicness. This chain reveals its status as a potential public good that clearly influences biocultural heritage, which has been preserved by several generations. To preserve colored heirloom corn in Tlaxcala, Mexico, a development strategy is needed that links actors and resources, involves the public sector, and furthers expansion of the private sector.