DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVELIHOOD OF THE MOUNTAIN OF GUERRERO, MÉXICO

Abstract

Objective: The objective was to analyze the way the native families from Guerrero Montain integrated domestic animals to strategies for their own lives to satisfied food needed, income and productive goods.
Design/methodology/approximation: Two hundred and twelve Mestizo, Na savi, Nahua and Me´phaa producers were randomly selected to be directly and personal interviewed. Sample size was calculated based on maximum variance (0.25) and margin error of 6.5%. information about labor, productive activities and recollection, external income, and grain production was recorded. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were multivariate technique used.
Results: Six ways of living were identified, four of them integrated domestic animals, but all of them integrated agriculture. Dominating ways of living were Forest-Agriculture-Cattle raising-Migration (28.8%), Agriculture-Cattle raisin (27.4%) and Agriculture-Cattle raising-Migration (17%). The Mestizo families and Nahuas had easily access to productive resources than native Na savi and Me´phaa families. The current productive activities were originated since colonial time and through time immigration was integrated as income diversification.
Findings/Conclusions: Integration of domestic animals and combination of labor land, forest depending on the age and experience years of producers. The absence of domestic animals motivated immigration as a source of income.
Limitation of the study/implication: The experience years of producers, easily access to productive resources and the needs of the native families form the Guerrero Mountain were determining to living way of peasants.