To address the challenges of sustainability in rural areas of Mexico, it must be considered that globalization opened the way to a new conception of rural development and consequently to a change of strategies aimed at achieving higher levels of productivity, often unrelated to social welfare. This widened poverty in the countryside and forced the displacement of millions of rural dwellers. Globalization was an imposition with consequences that exceeded the socioeconomic, cultural, and political capacities of the countryside. We must not lose sight of the close interrelationship of inequality and precariousness with environmental degradation caused by unsustainable development models such as globalization. This scenario leads to the search for solutions to ensure sustainability, so rural communities must design sustainable development strategies that prioritize their autonomy, self-sufficiency, productive diversification, and ecosystem management. Multifunctionality is a key tool for conservation and economic diversification, but it must be properly regulated to avoid restrictions on agricultural production and cultural values. Payment for environmental services is an option, but it must be accompanied by social development policies to ensure sustainable development in rural areas. [For the full proceedings, see ED652228.]