Articulation of the barley value network in the Mexican highlands

The barley produced in the region is mainly destined for the brewing industry and represented for FIRA a balance of financing for the 2022 cycle of 367 million pesos.

The main barley-producing country worldwide is Russia; Mexico, for its part, is located at number 33 and its main producing areas are Bajío (Guanajuato, Querétaro and Michoacán), Altiplano (Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico) and North (Durango and Zacatecas).

34,531 producers directly depend on this activity, of which the state of Hidalgo has the largest number with an average area of ​​6.2 hectares.

99% of the barley produced in the Altiplano region of the country is mainly destined for the brewing industry and is made under stormy conditions, increasing the risk of adverse weather effects, such as drought, frost and hail.

To this must be added a nutritional deficiency of the plant, soils poor in nutrients and organic matter (less than 1% in the most drastic cases), which means that the grain does not meet the quality parameters according to NOM043 and be used as fodder at a lower price.

The foregoing represents a complex problem for the producer and the industry by obtaining an unstable production in yields and low grain quality.

Considering the above, as well as the priority objective of productivity and efficiency of FIRA Tulancingo, acting as coordinator of the Barley Supplier Development Program, the purpose of developing a strategy of articulation and management of innovations for this value network has been established. in the Mexican highlands “Technical Network” that includes producers, agribusiness and other agents interested in this sector, to improve sustainability, technology and organization indicators and directly impact access to the innovation network (Technical Network).

In FIRA, through a field study during 2022, producers were consulted on the adoption of 23 innovations in the primary activity, observing adoptions by category of sustainability (40%), technology (52%), organization (65%), nutrition ( 74%) and agronomic management (78%). The 23 innovations that were evaluated as the best alternatives were:

Incorporation of organic matter into the soil; Soil analysis at the beginning of the cycle of their properties in order to determine the appropriate fertilization dose.

Use of drones; for application of foliar agrochemicals

Use of logbook; the producer records activities, date of completion, input applied, cost, name and location of the plot.

The first innovation was chosen, since it is the option that maximizes profitability, the second one minimizes costs in comparison with the other innovations; Additionally, it is suggested to consider the activity of registering in a logbook, since it is a necessary tool for the producer to have an adequate panorama in terms of costs, income, dates and activities carried out, being a source of information for decision making.

For the adoption of these innovations, an intervention plan is proposed through actors identified as “the producer leader” with the highest Innovation Adoption Index, the above, through the use of training events and demonstration days in which to promote the propagation from producer to producer, that is, between peers, since this was a recurring response of how producers acquire knowledge. Likewise, management and interaction with actors who are sources in the network (beer industry, government and companies) is suggested.

The barley produced is mainly destined for the brewing industry and represented for FIRA in the Altiplano region a balance of financing for the 2022 cycle of 367 million pesos in support of producers in the priority population.

*José Octavio Domínguez Cerna is an agent in Tulancingo, Hidalgo. The opinion is the author’s and does not necessarily coincide with the official point of view of FIRA.

jdominguez@fira.gob.mx