Report on Mexico’s Amaranth Initiative and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture

At the World Food Forum 2025, Mexico reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable and inclusive agriculture, designating amaranth as its national priority under the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) One Country, One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative. The selection is based on amaranth’s significant nutritional, cultural, and environmental value, positioning it as a key driver for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The OCOP Initiative, launched by the FAO in 2021, aims to develop sustainable value chains for agricultural products with unique national advantages. Mexico’s focus on amaranth directly supports national objectives of food sovereignty, agroecological transition, and rural well-being, aligning with the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Phase One Progress: Advancing the SDGs

Fostering Zero Hunger and Climate Action (SDG 2, SDG 13)

The initial phase of the project has yielded significant results in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing food security. Key achievements contributing to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) include:

• Validation of agroecological technology packages in five states, providing evidence for effective organic soil management and climate resilience.
• Characterization of 44 native amaranth accessions, preserving biodiversity crucial for SDG 15 (Life on Land).
• Development of four new high-protein amaranth lines adapted to diverse agroecological regions, directly addressing nutritional security.

Promoting Inclusive Growth and Partnerships (SDG 1, SDG 10, SDG 17)

The initiative has emphasized capacity building and multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure equitable benefits and robust implementation. These efforts support SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

1. Establishment of 13 Farmer Field Schools, empowering 282 producers, with a focus on including indigenous communities.
2. Creation of five State Committees for the Amaranth Product System, uniting producers, academia, communities, and local governments.
3. Collaboration with leading research institutions, including the National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research (INIFAP), Colpos, and Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo (UACh).

Strategic Outlook and Identified Challenges

Addressing Barriers to Sustainable Development

Despite progress, SADER has identified structural challenges that must be addressed to maximize the initiative’s impact on the SDGs:

• A limited link between research and field adoption, hindering the scaling of sustainable practices (SDG 12).
• Low diversification toward value-added products, which restricts potential for decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).
• The need to strengthen amaranth’s inclusion in institutional food and public procurement programs to advance good health and well-being (SDG 3).

Phase Two: Deepening Impact through Global Cooperation

The second phase will intensify efforts to integrate amaranth into the national economy and food systems. With technical support from the FAO and South–South cooperation with China (SDG 17), the focus will be on:

1. Strengthening sustainable production methods.
2. Promoting value addition to enhance rural livelihoods.
3. Integrating amaranth into national nutrition and food sovereignty programs.

Policy Coherence and International Dialogue

Alignment with National and International Frameworks

The amaranth project is fully integrated with Mexico’s 2025–2030 Sectoral Program for Agriculture and Rural Development and the 2025–2030 National Development Plan. It is also consistent with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, which promotes better production through agroecology and local capacity building.

Fostering South-South Cooperation (SDG 17)

To enhance scientific and commercial cooperation, Mexico hosted the Second Latin American Amaranth Dialogue. The event brought together representatives from Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and China, fostering partnerships to advance shared sustainable development objectives centered on this resilient crop.

Conclusion: Amaranth as a Catalyst for Resilience and Well-being

Amaranth, a crop native to Mesoamerica, is highly resistant to drought and heat, making it a critical asset for climate change adaptation (SDG 13). Its cultivation in central and southern Mexico provides a resilient food source where staple crops often struggle. By developing its entire value chain, Mexico’s OCOP initiative leverages amaranth as a powerful tool to advance food security (SDG 2), promote sustainable ecosystems (SDG 15), and build resilient rural communities, thereby making a substantial contribution to the 2030 Agenda.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• The article’s central theme is the promotion of amaranth for its “nutritional…value” to contribute to “food sovereignty” and national nutrition programs. It focuses on sustainable agricultural practices (“agroecological transition”), improving productivity, and supporting producers, all of which are core to achieving Zero Hunger.

SDG 1: No Poverty

• The initiative aims to improve “rural well-being” and foster “development with…social justice.” By developing the entire amaranth value chain and supporting producers, including indigenous communities, the project seeks to enhance livelihoods and reduce poverty in rural areas.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article explicitly mentions amaranth’s “climate resilience,” highlighting its “resistance to drought and heat” and its ability to thrive in areas with low rainfall. Promoting such a crop is a direct strategy for adapting agricultural systems to the impacts of climate change.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The project supports biodiversity by focusing on a native Mesoamerican crop. The “characterization of 44 native accessions” is a direct effort to understand and preserve the genetic diversity of amaranth, which is crucial for maintaining resilient ecosystems.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article is built around partnerships. The OCOP initiative itself is a partnership between Mexico and the FAO. It also details “South–South cooperation with China,” a “Latin American Amaranth Dialogue” with several countries, and multi-stakeholder collaboration between government (SADER), academia (INIFAP, UACh), producers, and communities.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

1. Target 2.3: Double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers. The article describes the establishment of “13 Farmer Field Schools involving 282 producers, including indigenous communities” to build local capacity and improve production.
2. Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. The initiative promotes an “agroecological transition” and has validated “agroecological technology packages” that focus on “organic soil management and climate resilience.” Amaranth itself is highlighted as a resilient crop.
3. Target 2.5: Maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and their related wild species. The project has achieved the “characterization of 44 native accessions” of amaranth, directly contributing to the conservation and understanding of this genetic resource.

SDG 1: No Poverty

1. Target 1.5: Build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events. By promoting a crop that has a “significant advantage” due to its “resistance to drought and heat,” the initiative helps build the resilience of rural farming communities against climate shocks that threaten their livelihoods.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. The selection of amaranth is based on its ability to “thrive in areas with low rainfall where staple crops often struggle,” which directly enhances the adaptive capacity of Mexico’s agricultural sector.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation. The article explicitly mentions “South–South cooperation with China” and the “Second Latin American Amaranth Dialogue” involving multiple countries to “enhance scientific and commercial cooperation.”
2. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships. The creation of “five State Committees for the Amaranth Product System” which bring together “producers, academia, communities, and local governments” is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve a common goal.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

1. Implied Indicator for Target 2.3: Number of small-scale producers benefiting from capacity-building initiatives. The article states that “13 Farmer Field Schools involving 282 producers” were established.
2. Implied Indicator for Target 2.5: Number of plant genetic resources characterized. The article specifies the “characterization of 44 native accessions.”
3. Implied Indicator for Target 2.3/2.4: Volume of production per unit of land. The article provides a baseline figure of “approximately 5.4t harvested nationwide in 2023,” which can be used to track future increases in productivity.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Implied Indicator for Target 17.16: Number of multi-stakeholder partnerships established. The article mentions the creation of “five State Committees for the Amaranth Product System.”
2. Implied Indicator for Target 17.6: Number of countries and stakeholders participating in international cooperation mechanisms. The article notes that the Latin American Amaranth Dialogue brought together representatives from “Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and China.”

SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: mexicobusiness.news