Women Farmers Revive Centuries-Old Floating Farms to Save Mexico City's Xochimilco

As of September 2025, a small but growing group of women in Mexico City are taking action to preserve the centuries-old floating farms known as chinampas. These island farms, built by the Aztecs, are located in the Xochimilco and San Gregorio Atlapulco boroughs and are crucial to the stability and ecology of the region.

Jasmín Ordóñez and Cassandra Garduño are two women who have recently purchased their own chinampas. Ordóñez's family had owned a chinampa for generations, but women traditionally did not inherit the land. Garduño, who had spent time studying conservation abroad, returned to San Gregorio in 2021 and was shocked by the degradation of the chinampas. She saved for a year to buy her own and has been working to restore it and implement sustainable farming practices.

The women face skepticism and distrust from the male-dominated chinampa community, but they are determined to preserve this unique agro-ecosystem. They are collaborating with Mexico's National Autonomous University to obtain the "Etiqueta Chinampera" sustainability certification, which allows them to sell their produce at higher prices.

The chinampas are crucial to the Xochimilco wetland, which is the last remnant of the lakes that once covered the Valley of Mexico. This ecosystem provides vital services to the city, including flood control, carbon sequestration, and habitat for hundreds of species. However, it is under threat from urban development, mass tourism, and water pollution, which have led to the decline of the iconic axolotl salamander.

The women farmers hope that by reviving the traditional chinampa farming practices, they can help preserve this unique and threatened ecosystem for future generations. As Garduño says, "From the shared labor of women and men, we can do what we all want, which is conserve what we have left for as long as possible."