In the temperate sierras of the Oaxacan Mixteca Alta, characterized by semi-arid conditions, degraded soils, and low fertility, Mixtecan communities developed an agricultural system three thousand years ago to combat erosion and improve soil quality. This system was designed for the steep, mountainous areas and consists of capturing and retaining soil through rock dams placed transversally in the watercourses that would otherwise wash away the soil (Bocco et al., México 18:141–168, 2019). This system is called “coo yuu” in Mixtec and “lama bordo” in Spanish (Photos 1 and 2). It has allowed soil recovery that would have otherwise been lost to erosion. Studies on the lama bordo system have shown that it improves soil conditions by retaining moisture and nutrients, thus facilitating plant growth better than on neighboring plots where the soils are eroded and poor (Santiago-Mejía et al., Agricultura 15:275–288, 2018) (Photos 3, 4 and 5).