Mexico wants to recover its native plants

Mexico’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader)

, Víctor Villalobos Arámbula, announced the National Program of Native Plants for Food and Agriculture that has the objective of recovering the value of native species in Mexico that are part of the basis of the diet in the world.

Villalobos Arámbula

commented that the current administration implemented this program that begins with the utilization of the Poinsettia plant , but that will also endorse the use of other products like chía, amaranth, cacao, peppers, and vanilla which in total comprise 60 native species .

“It’s important to know what our country provides to the world because that makes us unique as a society; it makes us connoisseurs of our wealth and, above all, it makes us feel proud of being the legitimate owners of this legacy ,” he said.

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The Agriculture Ministry added that in coordination with the National Institute of Forest, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (INIFAP) and the National Service of Inspection and Certification of Seeds (SNICS) , will work in the promotion, recovery, and enhancement of native species so that they stop being underutilized and to have an important place in the activities of Mexican producers.

The program, endorsed by Sader , also looks to highlight the qualities of the Poinsettia flower so that the population does not only use it as an ornamental plant ; “it also has properties for human consumption and can be used as a medicinal plant, among others,” said the agency.

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On the other hand, the general director of SNICS Leovigildo Córdova Téllez added that Mexico is home to 10% of flora diversity in the world. It has 2,500 species , many of which are used for food and agriculture and 259 are of commercial interest.

He explained that Mexico has great potential in the production of ornamental plants, like bromeliads, cacti, cempasúchil, dahlia, echeveria, and poinsettias , among others.

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