181-6 Drivers of Sustainable Farming among Mennonites around the Bustillos Lagoon: The Role of Soil Fertility, Tenure Security, and Environmental Awareness

Session: Community Engaged Research for Environmental Sustainability and Community Resilience (Posters)

Poster Booth No.: 25

Presenting Author:

Emmanuel Okyere

Authors:

Okyere, Emmanuel Yeboah¹, Ochoa-Rivero, Jesus Manuel², Amoah-Nuamah, John³, Borja-Bravo, Mercedes⁴, Gutierrez-Jurado, Hugo A.⁵

(1) Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA; Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana, (2) Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA; La Campana Experimental Range, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agricolas y Pecuarias, Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico, (3) Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Winneba, Ghana; Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesvelle, Florida, USA, (4) Experimental Station Pabellon, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Pabellon, Aguascalientes, Mexico, (5) Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA,

Abstract:

In the semi-arid landscapes of northern Mexico, the expansion of irrigated agriculture by culturally distinct farming communities has introduced both productivity gains and environmental concerns. One such group, the Mennonites, has established mechanized, high-input farming systems in central Chihuahua since the 1920s. Their intensive agriculture is supported by irrigation using water from the over-exploited aquifer in the endorheic Bustillos basin. Their influence on land and water use, particularly around the Bustillos Lagoon, has raised questions about ecological sustainability. This study examines the socio-environmental drivers of sustainable agricultural practices among Mennonite farmers, using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as an analytical lens. Based on a cross-sectional survey of 95 farmers, results show that 89.5% report adopting best agricultural practices (BAPs), while 92.6% express strong environmental concern. Logistic regression analysis reveals that farmers with high soil fertility are 4.96 times more likely to adopt BAPs, and those receiving technical assistance are 7.4 times more likely to do so. Private landowners are also three times more likely than ejido (communal) farmers to engage in sustainable practices. These findings highlight the importance of tenure security, technical support, and environmental awareness in fostering ecological stewardship. The study calls for context-sensitive policies that integrate local knowledge and institutional support to improve sustainability outcomes in dryland wetland ecosystems.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10581

© Copyright 2025 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved.