Over the last decade, the circular economy (CE) has attracted attention due to the current unsustainable model of production and consumption, which involves an increased resource use and depletion. Agri-food is one of the key sectors where action must be taken to ensure the transition to a more sustainable development model in line with circular economy principles. This study aims to evaluate the potential of implementing the circular economy in the pitahaya agri-food chain in Ecuador. The research was conducted from 2019 to 2021, during which a checklist was applied that included 91 items grouped into nine dimensions: source or supply of materials, design, manufacturing, economic circle, distribution and sales, consumption/use, 4R, remanufacturing, and sustainability. The level of the circular economy evaluated in the study was low (2.14 points out of 5). Therefore, improvements are required in the agri-food management of fruit cultivation and processing. Critical points were identified and strategies were proposed to increase competitiveness, improve environmental performance, and promote the implementation of the circular economy in this production chain. A final recommendation is to explore research on the concept of CE in the sector, mainly focused on the valorization of biomass as a contribution to the bioeconomy in order to contribute to the country’s growth within the context of sustainability.

The strategic members of collaborative supply chain have been looking for actions to synchronize their links. The purpose is to improve the customer service and fulfill the challenges of the globalized competitiveness. This trend is known as integrated supply chain and improves the companies performance as a whole. In this paper, an integration model of collaborative supply chain was developed considering the strategical, tactical and operational perspectives. To implement it, a measurement instrument was designed and validated statistically. Also a mathematical model using fuzzy logic was designed and applied among 36 small, medium and large Mexican companies to determine their integration level and propose specific actions that allow them to improve it.

Objetivo: Estudiar el sistema de producción agrícola de traspatio con un enfoque logístico, asumiendo que el conocimiento de los eslabones que componen la cadena de suministro contribuirá a desarrollar estrategias productivas y operacionales que vinculen a los productores con cadenas agroalimentarias cortas. Diseño/metodología/aproximación: Se presenta el caso de estudio de las localidades de alta marginación y presencia indígena de los municipios de Chontla y Tempoal, Veracruz. Se analizó la cadena de productos agrícolas de traspatio a partir de un modelo genérico identificando los productos del caso de estudio y realizando una proyección económica anualizada. La información se recolectó con muestreo de oportunidad mediante encuestas a productores de traspatio, intermediarios, comercializadores minoristas y mayoristas, agentes municipales y autoridades locales. Resultados: La cadena de suministro de productos agrícolas de traspatio está definida por cinco eslabones: producción de materias primas, procesamiento, manufactura, presentación del producto y consumidor final; el esquema de comercialización es semiestructurado entre tradicional y de circuitos cortos. Se identificaron cuatro áreas de oportunidad: procesamiento no estandarizado, condiciones inapropiadas de almacenamiento, ausencia de registros y deficientes canales de distribución y comercialización. Limitaciones del estudio/implicaciones: La proyección económica indicó que 35.8 % de los productos se destina al autoconsumo, 21.2 % se comercializa en mercados locales y municipales y el 43 % de la producción no se comercializa. Hallazgos/conclusiones: Para disminuir la cantidad de producto no comercializado y fortalecer la economía local, se propone ubicar estratégicamente centros de acopio para vincular a los productores en cadenas agroalimentarias cortas.

The central-northern region of Veracruz has experienced significant changes in traditional coffee cultivation and cattle raising due to the increased demand for fresh and industrialized citrus products. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the use of agrochemicals in citrus production, driven by the belief that “more is better” and a limited awareness of responsible agricultural practices. This research examines citrus crop management in rural communities, focusing on farming practices aimed at improving production by controlling pests and diseases. Data for this study were collected from 51 producers through in-person surveys, using a 48-item questionnaire and the snowball sampling method. The findings reveal that despite 20 years of development, citrus production is still not fully established, and the excessive use of agrochemicals remains widespread. The expansion of citrus groves in the study region has altered the agricultural landscape and the socioeconomic structures of rural communities. Furthermore, environmental concerns about chemical residues in the fruit limit their commercialization and harm the environment through runoff into groundwater and water bodies. To address these issues, it is crucial to raise awareness and guide farmers toward the responsible use of chemicals in citrus cultivation, ensuring sustainable production and mitigating negative environmental impacts in all communities where citrus is grown.

In order to define chain strategies for a backyard agricultural production system, this study identified agricultural products produced by high development priority communities with indigenous presence located in the Chontla and Tempoal municipalities in Veracruz, Mexico. The production system was integrated into a generic model decomposing the supply chain into hierarchical components. Data were collected through a face-to-face semistructured questionnaire based on statistical sampling of rural households, backyard producers, intermediaries, retailers, and wholesalers, as well as municipal authorities. The research was carried out from January 2017 to June 2018 and a computational program was designed to analyze the data. As a result, products were identified and their production destinations were quantified. Moreover, it revealed a backyard agricultural supply chain of five echelons with opportunities for improvement in areas such as unstructured agricultural processes and practices, inappropriate product storage and handling, and the lack of production records, and up to three intermediaries that sequentially drove up product cost in regional consumption centers. In this study, 20.9% of total production was destined for sale, 34.8% for self-consumption, and 44.2% was noncommercialized. Nopal, creole pumpkin, coriander, plum, passion fruit, and jobo were products with greater economic value for noncommercialized production. An improvement strategy would be to build inclusive agro-food chains through consolidated centers of backyard agricultural products.

The purpose of this study was to analyze midwifery practice in the Mazahua and Otomi (MO) indigenous community and its relationship with the persistence of the native language and the use of medicinal plants. A semi-structured survey with qualitative and quantitative information was designed and validated. Data were collected from the students enrolled in the Intercultural Health Degree at the Intercultural University of the State of Mexico, their parents, their grandparents, and people from their community of the MO ethnic group. The variables mother tongue and births attended by midwives among both MO and non-indigenous people were correlated with three generations (grandparents, parents, and grandchildren). In the MO indigenous group, births attended by midwives and mother tongue concerning the three generations were lost in proportions of 25.5% and 17.05%, respectively. There are 23% more midwife-attended births in the MO community than among non-ethnic people. The medicinal plants most used by the MO indigenous group are “too” (Montanoa tomentosa Cerv.) and “lengua de vaca” (Rumex crispus L.). As regards family economy, 79.3% of the adults surveyed consider that there is a saving of between 25% and 75% with midwifery practice in the MO community. There is a generational correspondence between the loss of native language and midwifery practice.