Conservación, desarrollo, aprovechamiento social
y protección de los conocimientos y recursos
tradicionales en México

Introduction

The aim is to create effective measures that allow conservation actions for the amphibian Ambystoma dumerilii traditionally known as Achójki through dialogue between the P’urépecha and academic knowledges to obtain a better use.

This lake species is been researched for its ecological, environmental, medicinal and economical importance. This research can be a model of work to have the Pátzcuaro Lake villagers to learn the possibilities of aquaculture and in-situ and ex-situ breeding, without minimizing its symbolic and economical importance. The project puts together cultural, social and economical elements, as well as ecological and environmental ones.

Their procedures are the following:

• Bibliographical and field research about traditional knowledge of the different species form Pátzcuaro Lake, including species composition and interaction; as well as the conservation status and the implications of its management.
• Interviews with communal land owners from the three fishing associations; with consumers and traders, as well as with the rest of the region society, about what fishing resources mean to them.
• The proposal of a management strategy, based on the traditional knowledge of communal land owners and fishermen, underpinned by previous efforts in the conservation of Pátzcuaro Lake and previous perspectives.
• Establecimiento de una unidad piloto o granja para la reproducción del Achójki in-situ y ex-situ, así como su crianza y producción.
• Training of young indigenous people for the management and administration of the farm, thus fostering the interchange of academic and traditional knowledge.

Participants for this project:  Arturo Argueta Villamar, Luis Humberto Escalera and Rodolfo Pérez Rodríguez.

Location of the project