Agricultural fires in Mexico

Source: NASA

    Fires have been spotted by NASA in Guerrero, Colimo, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and other areas along the western border of Mexico. Due to the location, it was determined that the fires were set deliberately in order to manage the land where they occurred. The issue with this is that although it helps restore nutrients in the soil, when farmers burn the land, it causes the quality of the air to decrease.
    When the crops are burned, the land is enhanced with nutrients to better the growth of crops in the future. However, the quality of the air degrades, which in turn can affect cycles in the environment (water cycle, etc.) that allow the crops to be grown in the first place. This issue applies to the economic concept of National Income (GDP = C + I + G + NX). Major crops such as corn, beans, and fruit that are grown in these areas are common exports. Exports are one of the major sources of income for Mexico. If the crops are being burned, there is a short term loss of income for the country. In the long run, however, the the enhanced soil will allow crops to grow more efficiently and increase the amount able to be exported. More exports increase GDP.
    Seasonal changes can cause a lack of growth of the crops. Also, the cycle of burning the crops and allowing them to grow again can be detrimental to the air quality and environmental cycles that rely on the air. To resolve this issue, environmental policies should be set in place. Environmental policies would help protect crops and the air quality. Other options include using fertilizers and other measures to increase crop growth rather than burning the land. Although there are some negative consequences to using fertilizers, they may be seen as less detrimental than burning crops to enhance the land. These policies could not only be beneficial environmentally, but also could better the exports from the country.