Claudia Oviedo-Rodríguez: from PhD researcher to Director Agrifood Systems at the Ministry of Agriculture in Mexico

I chose to pursue my PhD at WUR because I wanted to complete my doctoral studies at the university ranked number one globally in agriculture and forestry. This ranking gave me confidence that WUR was the place where I would acquire all the scientific tools needed to conduct high-quality research. In addition, while approaching different universities, I identified a strong level of interest in my PhD proposal at WUR, particularly within the Rural Sociology Group. This further motivated me to complete my application to WUR.

My thesis, entitled “The Promised Transformation: Mexican Coffee Policies During the Administration of President López Obrador,” evaluated changes in the coffee sector resulting from new policies established during the López Obrador administration (2018–2024). These policies focused on supporting the poorest farmers, reducing corruption, and building a new development pathway distinct from neoliberalism. López Obrador promised that his administration would represent a radical change, a “Fourth Transformation”. For López Obrador, this project would represent a change of a magnitude comparable to three previous transformations: Mexico’s Independence from Spain, the Reform War, and the Mexican Revolution.

My PhD research focused on understanding changes in the relationships between the state, farmers, and the industry during the first year of the López Obrador administration (2018-2019). The relevance of this PhD for Mexican public policy lies in the finding that, during López Obrador’s administration, coffee policies strengthened the relationship between the state and small-scale farmers through substantial subsidies and the technical assistance farmers received, elements that had been deficient in the past. At the same time, the relationship between the state and coffee farmer organizations became tense as a result of a policy that provided subsidies directly to farmers rather than through farmer organizations, as had been the case in the past. This policy, however, was an important mechanism for reducing the corruption and clientelism that had previously prevailed. Finally, the relationship between the state and the industry—which holds significant power within the coffee sector—was not modified; the industry continued to control the market and coffee prices. The thesis showed that the administration did not fulfil all its promises; however, it also demonstrated that López Obrador’s administration generated significant changes toward a new development option, which constitutes a crucial achievement.

I am currently a Director of Agrifood Systems at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Mexico. I am part of the advisory group to the Minister of Agriculture in Mexico, Dr. Julio Berdegué - who obtained a PhD from WUR too in 2001. Among other responsibilities, I coordinate the implementation of the Lázaro Cárdenas Programme in the Mixteca region of Puebla—one of the most marginalized areas of the country. This programme aims to reduce poverty through institutional coordination among federal, regional, and municipal governments, ensuring that farmers receive significant support across the areas of agriculture, environment, water, infrastructure, health, education, and culture. The relevance of this work is that the Lázaro Cárdenas Programme is part of the 100 commitments of our current President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo—our first female President in the country’s history.

The actions of the Ministry of Agriculture are crucial to strengthening the political project initiated by former President López Obrador and to building the “Second Floor” of the Fourth Transformation, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. In 2025, the National Institute of Geography reported that between 2018 and 2024—the period when López Obrador governed—13.4 million people were able to escape poverty as a result of social programmes and increases in salaries. This represents a historical achievement, and the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is focused on reducing poverty even further. In particular, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s programmes are aimed at strengthening national food sovereignty and improving the economic and social well-being of small- and medium-scale producers through direct subsidies, technical assistance focused on agroecology and cooperative organization, and measures to correct market distortions.

I consider my time at Wageningen to be one of the best experiences of my life. From an academic perspective, I received all the methodological tools needed to successfully complete my PhD. My supervisors, Kees Jansen, Associate Professor in the Rural Sociology Group, and Sietze Vellema, Associate Professor in the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group, provided me with exceptional guidance, which motivated me to work hard on my PhD project. Thanks to their excellent guidance, I was able to complete my PhD and produce four publications in international journals.

The PhD period was also characterized by being surrounded by colleagues and friends from whom I learned a great deal about important subjects and from different countries. They provided me with a great deal of support throughout my journey. In addition, my time at WUR was marked by a balanced lifestyle, starting with the fact that I maintained a very healthy work schedule: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (yes, I like routines!). I only remember a few days when I worked on the computer during the weekend. I had my afternoons and weekends free to exercise and meet up with friends.

I am very proud to have obtained my doctorate at WUR because I received one of the best academic trainings that a researcher can access. In addition, I feel very satisfied that I did my best throughout my PhD and that I tried to make the most of every experience I had. 

Finally, I am happy that the PhD I completed is strongly related to my current role at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; the main difference is that before I conducted research on policymaking and questioned government actions, and now I am part of the team that is being analysed and questioned. The latter is a great responsibility, which I am assuming with a high level of professionalism and commitment.