NOPAL AND ITS CULTIVATION IN THE MILPA ALTA REGION

Abstract

Nopal verdura is a representative plant of Mexico, associated with the founding of Tenochtitlán and present in the national emblem, symbolizing Mexican identity. Domesticated around 8,000 years ago, it was a fundamental food for the Chichimecas. Today, the most widely cultivated nopal is Opuntia ficus-indica, which is extensively grown in the Milpa Alta municipality, where climatic conditions are favorable for its cultivation.

This crop employs traditional techniques, such as the use of terraces, making it an economic sustenance for approximately 8,000 producers in the region. Since the 1980s, its commercialization has grown, becoming an essential part of the local economy. Nopal is also valued for its versatility in gastronomy and its medicinal properties, helping to control cholesterol, diabetes, and contributing to gastrointestinal health.

The Nopal Verdura Collection Center, inaugurated in 2001, facilitates the sale of local products. Several community enterprises have emerged to process and market nopal both nationally and internationally, highlighting the cultural and economic importance of this plant in the lives of the inhabitants of Milpa Alta.