The crops selected for conservation in the in situ project in Mexico are those of the "milpa" system, the traditional Mayan system of annual crops grown in association. These include maize (Zea mays), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), squash (Curcurbita), chili peppers (Capsicum) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea). The site for project implementation is located in the north-centre of the Yucatan peninsula, in an area where almost 50 000 families still grow "milpa" with slash and burn  agriculture and intercropping. Crops were selected because of the broad range of genetic diversity still found in Yucatan landraces, which is now threatened by increased production costs, technological change, loss of labour and a shorter fallow period. he area has an altitude of 20-25 m asl, a warm, subhumid climate and an average annual temperature of above 25 ºC.  The rainy season is from June to October, with a brief dry period in August. The majority of the soils are shallow, stony and calcareous.

Maize in calcareous rocky soils

Making tortillas