Transition to free trade and genetic erosion.The Mexico Agricultural Project 1994-2010

This paper discusses the impacts of the transition of the Mexican agricultural sector to free trade that occurred in the context of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the social, productive, and environmental structure of the sector. The analysis aims to review the decisions and actions of the Mexican State in this period to put them into perspective in the face of the ecological consequences of the genetic erosion of corn and its relationship with what was agreed upon in the biotechnology section of the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA). The analysis takes up concepts from International Political Economy that discuss the role of the State in controlling markets to achieve development (Gray, 2000; Gilpin, 2001; Hart & Prakash, 1997), and from economic theories on the provision of public goods necessary for economic operation and development. The transition to free trade is analyzed from 1992 to 2010 when NAFTA tariff liberalization on agricultural products is concluded. Four central aspects of the transition to free trade are analyzed: (a) global agricultural reform, NAFTA and market creation, (b) building the national agricultural project, (c) managing the transition and the outcomes on the social sector, genetic erosion and community practices, (d) USMCA and its regulations on biotechnology.