Mexico: Point of origin, domestication and genetic diversity of traditional beans.

Although beans are a widely consumed food in Mexico and other regions of the world, few know that it was domesticated approximately 8,000 years ago in Mesoamerica and that this same domestication process only developed simultaneously in the Andes, before the first exchanges derived from the colonial era traded it throughout the planet.

According to information from the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), Mexico is a pole of origin, domestication and genetic diversity of this legume and 57 of the 150 species of beans that are known internationally are planted in its territory. Of these, 31 are endemic.

Beans, in addition to their high nutritional value, have an identity value strongly rooted in Mexican culture because they are a food of pre-Hispanic heritage, used for offerings, rituals and as tribute.

Beans have contributed significantly to food subsistence and to enriching the country's gastronomic diversity over time.

It also plays a very important role in the traditional milpa system, a multipurpose ancestral crop originally made up of corn, beans and squash (Mesoamerican triad).

In the milpa, the plants benefit from each other and support each other. As it grows, the corn supports the climbing bean, and the bean produces fertilizer (nitrogen) that supplies the corn and squash. Squash leaves protect the soil by retaining moisture and preventing weed growth.

Traditional beans (creole or native) are local and/or ancestral varieties grown in agroecological or milpa systems by small producers that are part of a chain of transmission of knowledge from generation to generation.

These beans are usually for self-consumption by farmers and their communities and are difficult to find in department stores and supermarkets.

From November 23 to December 6, 2025, TERRACANTO Experiences traveled more than 2,000 kilometers through six states in the center of the Mexican Republic on a route to destinations linked to traditional beans in which the communities that produce this food continue to use the knowledge transmitted by their ancestors to keep systems such as the traditional milpa alive, despite the challenges imposed by climate change and the constant uncertainty of prices in the market.

The traditional bean is the basis of their daily diet, an essential ingredient for collective unity and a source of pride, strengthening and vindication of their cultural identity.

This customized 13-day itinerary that we designed at the invitation of LA COMANDANTA, a high-impact company focused on identifying, rescuing and promoting authentic Mexican Creole foods, for the corporate and research project of The Heirloom Bean Co., a company that offers in the United Kingdom the most complete variety of traditional beans from small agricultural producers in Mexico and the United States, included visits to 9 traditional bean producers, an organic “slow food” ranch, interviews with farmers, tastings in “farm to table” restaurants, as well as learning about ancestral techniques such as nixtamalization, planting in milpa, chinampa and metepantle.

Our clients had the personalized assistance of TERRACANTO Experiences at all times to coordinate the logistics for transportation, accommodation, and meals. And in all activities, visits and exchanges with communities, interpretation was provided into English and Spanish, as well as explanations regarding historical, social and cultural contexts when necessary.

Throughout the tour, we helped on the process of compiling information on the use of ancestral techniques such as milpa or metepantle to harvest the different varieties of traditional beans in the country, the transmission of knowledge inherited from generation to generation, the agro-ecological orientation of producers, production capacities, the value of these legumes to sustain the economies of the communities, the need for effective financing schemes and the challenges that climate change imposes on these models of sustainable agriculture.

Working hand in hand with our clients to help them deepen their knowledge about the traditional bean, the conditions of the fields and the environmental, social and cultural aspects associated with the project, has left TERRACANTO Experiences with a deep learning and unforgettable memories of this journey shared with people with admirable professional careers, adventurous curiosity, great sensitivity and a fantastic sense of humor. Our deep gratitude goes to them and to the producers and community members who opened the door to their fields, homes, and families.

Undoubtedly, this corporate experience will lead to a greater valuation, conservation and consumption of traditional Mexican bean varieties, as well as to improve the living conditions of producers.

Here's to many more of these purpose-driven projects! — Gustavo Morales Cirión, CEO/Founder