Interview: Marco Diaz – Revista Comentarios CEO & Semillero Agro Podcast
We are very pleased to learn the story of Marco Diaz, a friend and renowned communicator of the farming sector in Sinaloa. Marco is a graduate of a bachelor’s degree in communication from Universidad Autónoma de Durango and is enthusiastic about the farming and livestock industry with a long-standing career at his young age.
Join us for a reading at this interesting interview with Marco Diaz for Veggies From Mexico:
1. Would you mind sharing with us a bit of your professional background?
After my father passed away in August 2007, I had to make decisions: should I continue with Revista Comentarios or what to do to support the economy of my family? Back then, it was just my mother and I, my sister, who had just gotten married.
I decided to continue with Revista Comentarios when I was only 20 years old, studying a degree in communications from Universidad Autónoma de Durango, as I was simultaneously working on the magazine.
Revista Comentarios was born in January 1972, and I took on the legacy of my father as a personal challenge, as my professional future.
After I graduated from University, I was given the opportunity to work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Sinaloa as communications officer and, at the same time, I was leading Revista Comentarios. I was also the editor of the Institutional Magazine of the State Committee of Plant Health in Sinaloa.
After three years, I took on the responsibility of communication at the Sinaloa Regional Livestock Union, where we made a significant positioning effort for the 2017 and 2018 Livestock Fair, which was a great challenge for me.
I had the opportunity to be a communication liaison for the International Corn and Wheat Improvement Center, performing several communication projects and contributing articles for its EnlACe magazine. I also collaborated with the League of Agrarian Communities in the State of Sinaloa, where I concluded my work in January 2022.
From then on, I started the Semillero Agro podcast project and a change in my operations by offering different farming marketing services and ranking my podcast at Nº 13 in Mexico in July 2024, just one year after starting.
.
.
2.Tell us a little bit about the history of Revista Comentarios and what does it specialize in?
Revista Comentarios was founded by my father in January 1972; the first cover was dedicated to Manuel Clouthier del Rincón, then leader of the Union of Vegetable Producers.
My father started the magazine to give a voice to the leaders of the primary sector not only in Sinaloa, but also in Sonora.
The evolution of the sector led him to travel across the country and make connections and friendships with various organizations and their leaders, such as CAADES and the associations of farmers in Sinaloa; the National Association of Irrigation Users (ANUR) and all the irrigation modules of the state. My father also made great friends with the distributors established in Nogales, Arizona, and I was able to go there as well.
Revista Comentarios has witnessed the farming boom in the Northwest of the country, it has been there in good times, tough times and the worst. Even in the face of the crisis that the industry is experiencing, it currently prevails as a digital news medium with over 250 thousand followers.
3. What was it like for you to grow up surrounded by communications about farming?
To me it was a delight and an honor to go back to when I was 6, 7, 8 years old, traveling with my father across Sinaloa, from the mango farmers in Escuinapa, to the eggplant, peppers and tomatoes in the Culiacán Valley and, of course, corn, chickpeas, etc., all across Sinaloa.
Ever since I was a child, I admired farmers who made the land grow vegetables, those who brought food to our plates, who led work teams, always reflecting the passion that only a calling can bring.
Since I was little, whenever there was no school, I would go to work with my dad, sometimes I would wait for him in the car, but just by being with him I was happy. When I started driving at 15, I became his driver, if school allowed me to do so.
4. How do you migrate from being a print medium to digital media such as the website, social networks?
Social networks began spreading many years ago; but a few years after my father passed away in 2007, I created a user account for Revista Comentarios, which later became a Facebook page.
It was a dream for me to have my own website, but some time later it was achieved, and social media has been the means to generate traffic to my website.
I also found a platform called Issuu where the vast majority of digital editions that I directed are found.
Frankly, the printed media is on hold due to the complexity of the business, how expensive printing and distributing is, taking digital publishing as a massive option, which has been a success to date.
By creating Semillero Agro podcast, we grew very fast organically, and that has also helped us a lot to spread valuable information.
.
.
5.In your opinion, what is the importance of the agrifood sector in Mexico, and what are the main challenges you believe farmers are facing these days?
The farming industry in Mexico is undervalued despite the considerable number of jobs it generates; also taking under consideration the importance of food sovereignty, which I think is only valued in discourse, but not in practice.
The sector faces a turning point where complex and costly decisions must be made. I think we must stop romanticizing farming, so that it really becomes a business for its main player, which is the farmer.
For six years we experienced a change in public policies that affected commercial farming, and the effect is currently being observed; Baja California, Durango, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Chihuahua are going through an impressive drought, which has forced growers to greatly reduce their sowing area; even so, prices have not been regulated with regards to vegetables; in the case of grains, that is yet to be seen.
We must become more technical, plan the sowing area, explore new markets, facilitate management for growers and of course, give the right value to grain, vegetable and fruit growers. We are an agrifood giant, as I said before, undervalued.
Personally, I am looking forward to better times with the current federal administration and, from the growers, a revaluation of natural resources: soil and water. Sustainability and maintainability must be developed in practice and not just in discourse. The road is long, winding and not easy, but it is mandatory.
6. ¿What are the main trends you believe farmers in Mexico must be observing and learning from?
The technical use of water for farm irrigation, of course AI, which considers that it is a world that still needs to be explored, connectivity that the Internet allows us not only in the country, but abroad to connect with new technologies and markets. The farmer has a smartphone at hand and is using it to consume subjects of interest to him: how can I improve my operation?
There is a subject that is talked about a lot, which is production costs. I believe it should be emphasized because it is partly the source of the problem in farming.
With regards to water, speaking from my context; we must consider recirculation systems, knowing that in certain crops these are not exactly affordable. That is where public policies come in again.
The use and utilization of data is coming, even when applied to field work, staff management, satellite technologies, variable applications, and so on.
Please note that all of the above must be viable only when the farmer makes money.
7. What led you to found Semillero Agro Podcast, what have been your most valuable experiences, and what do you seek to convey with this content?
Semillero Agro podcast was born out of a crisis; the printed magazine was going through an overly complex financial situation due to external factors and the farm problems themselves.
I wanted a name that was able to communicate farming on its own, with all the support of Revista Comentarios brand. Semillero was born with a few weeks of planning, some equipment, and thanks to the know-how I observed while recording some episodes for a podcast I made in collaboration with some friends in Jalisco, called Hablemos al Grano, which only had 4 or 5 episodes.
Semillero Agro podcast has been the means to an end: to transform the printed magazine into a digital one, obviously to get more work and sponsors, but also having great guests whose experience and recognition is very satisfying for me.
Personally, I have a policy: to recognize everyone who makes the effort to produce food and those who seek to add value.
8. How important do you believe communication and marketing are for farming companies?
Over 17 years communicating for the industry have demonstrated to me that there is a great interest in the sector in learning about what the neighbor did, how he grows, what is the person across the street doing to get ahead. Communication is particularly important to expand knowledge among farmers themselves, to improve their operation, always in an honest and transparent manner.
I have always said that farming creates connection, and without a doubt, podcast, communication, and agro-marketing have proven me right.
Communication is a tool that serves us all in every aspect of our lives; we must apply it and go for it, and thanks to the Internet, opportunities are endless.
How have we managed to get a person from Peru to visit Mexico to do business? That person came to Sinaloa even just to record an episode.
A few days ago, another Peruvian group reached a guest of my podcast. He will go to give them an advisory session to build a liquid fertilizer plant. Farming creates connection, and that is a great opportunity.
9. In your opinion, what will the changes represented by new trends, such as regenerative farming, sustainability, and technological development, such as blockchain and AI be like?
I believe this is something I have to see directly in the field, because I have heard countless of talks and I have had several guests on Semillero Agro podcast, but my challenge for 2025 is to see these technologies applied to the field.
I also have every intention of visiting successful fields managed under regenerative farming principles.
10. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I want to recognize the communication efforts of Veggies From Mexico to link the national farming industry with our main commercial partner, the United States, a country that has given us a lot and which represents great opportunities for all. This relationship must be maintained in a win-win balance situation, and the work such as the one you do is essential for this to continue and becomes solid.
Thank you and I repeat: Farming creates connection.
.
