Knowra Milpa Milpa A traditional Mesoamerican farming system that commonly grows maize, beans, and squash together, often within a shifting cultivation cycle. Its crops and practices vary across communities and environments.
Three Sisters : An Indigenous North American intercropping tradition centered on maize, beans, and squash. Milpa fields often use the same crop partnership, though names and practices differ by community.
Maize : A cereal grain domesticated in the Americas, also known as corn. Maize is typically the central crop in milpa planting combinations.
Maya agriculture : The farming practices developed and used by Maya communities across Mesoamerica. Milpa cultivation is prominent in Maya farming histories and present-day practice.
Agrobiodiversity : The diversity of plants, animals, and microorganisms in agricultural systems. Milpa fields can sustain diverse crops and varieties within a working farm.
Soil fertility : The capacity of soil to supply nutrients and support plant growth. Fallow periods and crop combinations influence how milpa fields maintain or lose fertility.
Intercropping : The practice of growing two or more crops together in the same field. Milpa’s crop combinations are a form of intercropping.
Common bean : A domesticated legume native to the Americas, grown for its edible seeds and pods. Beans are commonly planted with maize and contribute dietary protein.
Domestication of maize : The transformation of wild teosinte into domesticated maize through human selection. Milpa depends on maize, whose domestication began in Mesoamerica thousands of years ago.
Food security : Reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active life. Milpa can supply staple foods directly to farming households and communities.
Soil erosion : The removal of topsoil by water, wind, or other forces. Shortened fallows and exposed slopes can increase erosion in milpa landscapes.
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