PROMOTION OF AMARANTH (AMARANTHUS HYPOCHONDRIACUS) CULTIVATION AS AN ANCESTRAL FOOD SYSTEM THROUGH THE SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEYS OF OAXACA

For centuries, amaranth cultivation has been lost, and its potential as a food with high nutritional value has been unknown. In this sense, there are companies and associations organized around common property assets, and their collective form of production seeks to generate goods and services under the principles of a social and solidarity economy that impact the revaluation of nutritionally rich ancestral crops, such as amaranth. Currently, one of INAES' strategies is to promote the Nodes for the Social and Solidarity Economy (NODESS) with the goal of integrating alliance networks made up of at least three actors: educational institutions, government, and civil society. This research is being developed with the participation of the Technological Institute of the Oaxaca Valley, the municipality of Cuilapam de Guerrero, the Centéotl A.C. Development Center, Amaranto de Mesoamérica, and the Commissariat of Communal Assets. The objective is to promote the responsible production and consumption of staple crops through participatory workshops with farmers, civil society, and government institutions. The methodology used is PAR, which allows the community to engage and develop its own theories and solutions. Data collection instruments included field visits, demonstration plot design, and participatory workshops. Among the main results were the acceptance of the participating stakeholders in adopting amaranth cultivation and the awakening of families' interest in consuming amaranth products. However, influencing consumption habits for continued use, the population mentions that technical support or motivation is required to cultivate it consistently.