Oases of Mezcal: A Oaxacan Rural Community in Conversation with Harvard

“Oases of Mezcal” brings together community leaders, agave growers, and educators from Agua del Espino, a small rural community in Oaxaca, Mexico, with Harvard faculty and students to discuss the region’s evolving agricultural landscape. As global demand for mezcal continues to grow, traditional subsistence farming is increasingly being replaced by intensive agave cultivation, presenting both opportunities and challenges. This roundtable builds on a recent project funded by the Mexico Innovation Fund from the Harvard University David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, which explored reforestation, water harvesting, and regenerative agriculture as strategies for resilience in Oaxaca’s water-stressed agricultural landscapes.

The event will foster reciprocal learning between Harvard faculty, students, and members of Agua del Espino. Through informal conversation, participants will engage in a collegial exchange of knowledge, from hands-on farming techniques and communal land ownership to broader discussions on social entrepreneurship, community engagement, and landscape practices. By strengthening connections between local expertise and academic inquiry, “Oases of Mezcal” aims to inspire meaningful collaborations to support community-led environmental stewardship and innovative research on agricultural transitions.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Latin GSD and the Harvard University Mexican  Association of Students.