Over time, the Maya people have left their fields for jobs in a capitalist economy that has the nature to exploit labor and income. Dependency on a capitalist system manipulates income since people are at the mercy of an unstable market as COVID-19 has displayed.  The Maya detached from their land and the reciprocal relationship they had with the planet for unstable forms of income.

Maya forest gardeners enhance the health and quality of life in their communities. They increase local access to healthy, nutritious food options that build strong community food security and sovereignty.

Milpa fields and home gardens can be a vital source of nutrition, medicine, and food security in times of food scarcity or other unstable economic troubles. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic caused supply chain interruptions and lockdowns preventing people from securing food. Maya forest gardeners remained unaffected as their milpa fields provided a steady food supply. 

Maya farming’s emphasis on polyculture acts as a safeguard against low yields and market demand changes. If one crop fails, another one can substitute. The same principle applies when factors like a surplus cause a sudden drop in one crop’s market value. 

Home gardens are cost-effective and require relatively less labor, making them suitable for economically challenged households. Moreover, many grow medicinal plants to ensure medicine is readily available and accessible, and provide a degree of self-sufficiency.