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Farmers from five municipalities of Chiapas attended a diversity fair celebrated on December 6, 2003; two groups of them from "El Pozo" and "Nichteel" localities decided to reply this event under their conditions. Thus, they made a collection in different towns pertaining to their municipalities y others, with the objective of improving farm diversity besides looking for better-adapted accessions to their specific conditions. The group from "El Pozo" managed to collect 14 accessions of different grain color whereas the group from "Nichteel" managed to collect 16 accessions. Along with researchers and technicians from SDR in Chiapas, México, and INCA, Cuba, they evaluated six characters. Such evaluation enabled to determine that there were significant differences among the accessions collected by "El Pozo" and "Nichteel". Moreover, it was statistically proved that, in many cases, accessions collected in others localities and municipalities showed a better behavior or similar to the local one. Likewise, farmers from both sites of Los Altos de Chiapas could improve maize diversity in their farms and collect better varieties than those they have traditionally seeded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March and April, 2003, a maize prospection was carried out in 20 municipalities belonging to five regions of Chiapas, Mexico. 331 accessions of maize were collected, two donated by INIFAP and the rest collected in the farmer's farms. Prospections are integrated by accessions with different grain colors. On May 30, 2003, 85 maize accessions were sowed in "La Albarrada" Center of Community Development, located in the municipality of San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Different evaluations were carried out showing a wide maize variability; this variability was found within accessions of different color as well as among accessions of different color. This variability was also proved among different farms where they were collected. On December 6, 2003, a biodiversity fair was carried out. During the fair 51 accessions were selected at least once by farmers (60 % of all the exposed diversity). Farmers showed a bigger interest for accessions with black and yellow grain color, constituting 66.6 % of the collected diversity. During the selection, men and women had different approaches when selecting the accessions and they also differed in the number of selected accessions. In general, farmers showed a great interest on creole accessions that showed some tolerance to their specific conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]