What are the implications for Mexico?
Mexico is the center of origin and diversity for corn, domesticated more than 5,000 years ago. Today, the thousands of corn varieties reflect the amazing cultural and biological diversity of Mexico. Genetic contamination of native corn varieties is permanent and death sentence for campesinos and Indigenous Peoples. Despite government policies that subvert Mexican campesinos and national food security, some 25 million Mexicans continue as campesinos, of which, approximately 75% live below the poverty level. Approximately, 3 million Mexicans are corn growers, half of which are Indigenous Peoples.
