Revolutionizing Food Revolutionizing Food Production in CubaProduction in Cuba

State SupportState Support

(Institutions)(Institutions)

22

Founded Founded 19871987

NGONGO

ACTAF’s ACTAF’s Goal:Goal:

33

ACTAF ConferenceACTAF ConferenceVI Encuentro de Agricultura Orgánica y SostenibleVI Encuentro de Agricultura Orgánica y Sostenible

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ACTAF’s Soil InstituteACTAF’s Soil InstituteProduces:Produces:

Rhizobium & Rhizobium & AzospirillumAzospirillum && Azobacter Azobacter —bacteria fix —bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen; atmospheric nitrogen; reduce use of N fertilizer 25-100%reduce use of N fertilizer 25-100%Azotofos (free-living)—enhances Azotofos (free-living)—enhances availability of phosphorus; availability of phosphorus; reduces N fertilizer 50%reduces N fertilizer 50%Fosforina (microbial biofertilizer)—makes Fosforina (microbial biofertilizer)—makes phosphorus available to plants, phosphorus available to plants, replaces 50-75% of phosphorus fertilizer replaces 50-75% of phosphorus fertilizer & 25% of nitrogen fertilizer & 25% of nitrogen fertilizerMycorrhizal fungi extend plant rootsMycorrhizal fungi extend plant roots

55

Instituto de Investigaciones Instituto de Investigaciones de Sanidad Vegetal, de Sanidad Vegetal,

Ministerio de la AgriculturaMinisterio de la Agricultura

(INISAV)(INISAV)

Founded Founded 19771977

66

Beneficial PredatorsBeneficial Predators

Lacewing eggsLacewing eggs

Are planted in a Are planted in a

tray with maizetray with maize

for 45 daysfor 45 days

77

1 egg is placed in 1 egg is placed in each division where each division where larvae developlarvae develop

ChrysopaChrysopa larvae are larvae are “voracious “voracious predators”predators”

88

Integrated Pest Management Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – Began 1982(IPM) – Began 1982

Cuba has 67 plant protection Cuba has 67 plant protection stations, 2254 professionals, stations, 2254 professionals, 3051 technicians3051 technicians

283 CREEs – Entomophage and 283 CREEs – Entomophage and Entomopathogen Reproduction Entomopathogen Reproduction CentersCenters

99

Entomophagous organisms Entomophagous organisms Wasps (Wasps (Trichogramma, TetrastichusTrichogramma, Tetrastichus))

Flies (Flies (Lixophaga, EucelatoriaLixophaga, Eucelatoria))

EntomopathogensEntomopathogensBacteria (Bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensisBacillus thuringiensis))

Fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium Fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii)lecanii)

Nematodes

*

1010

IPM vs. APMIPM vs. APMIPM: Integrated pest managementIPM: Integrated pest management

Response to Green Revolution Pesticide Response to Green Revolution Pesticide Treadmill (also eliminated beneficial pests)Treadmill (also eliminated beneficial pests)

Input substitution – corrective approachInput substitution – corrective approach

APM: Agroecological pest managementAPM: Agroecological pest managementFocus on pest Focus on pest preventionprevention

Genetic & species diversityGenetic & species diversity

Selection of resistant varietiesSelection of resistant varieties

Crop rotationsCrop rotations

Cropping schedulesCropping schedules

1111

05

10152025303540

1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002

Use of Chemicals in Cuba (1000s of Tons)

IPM

75% reduction in use of chemical pesticides

APM

1212

Founded 1962Founded 1962

Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarios, Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarios, Universidad Central Marta Abreu de las VillasUniversidad Central Marta Abreu de las Villas

First research center outside of HavanaFirst research center outside of Havana

The 1st Law of Certification of Organic The 1st Law of Certification of Organic Products resulted from Products resulted from a CIAP seminara CIAP seminar

Trains students from Trains students from

throughout throughout

Latin AmericaLatin America

1313

CIAP’s MissionCIAP’s Mission

CIAP is divided into CIAP is divided into

research, research,

laboratories, laboratories,

& experiment stations& experiment stations

1414

CIAP's Experiment CIAP's Experiment StationStation

Produces all the food required by the Produces all the food required by the university university Soil is a complex living being—Soil is a complex living being—involvesinvolves climate, climate, topography, time, topography, time, structure, texture, structure, texture, water, chemicals, water, chemicals, biology, plant roots, biology, plant roots, invertebrates, invertebrates,

microorganismsmicroorganisms

1515

Instituto Politécnico Instituto Politécnico Agropecuario “Villa-Agropecuario “Villa-

Revolución”Revolución” Founded in 1962Founded in 19621000s of its 1000s of its graduates are graduates are playing an playing an important role important role in Cuban in Cuban agricultureagriculture Ing. Nelson Rujas: Ing. Nelson Rujas: ““La producción La producción sostenible es sostenible es nuestro producto”nuestro producto”

1616

Students engage in practical work, cultivating 708 has.

“aprendiendo haciendo”

No inputs are brought in – totally self-sustaining

1717

Today the goal is healthy, chemical-Today the goal is healthy, chemical-free food; a frequent comment was free food; a frequent comment was the desire for Cuba to create a the desire for Cuba to create a healthy future for the children and healthy future for the children and future generations future generations

The suicide rate in Cuba has dropped The suicide rate in Cuba has dropped due to the unavailability of due to the unavailability of pesticides!pesticides!

1818

1919

Organized PeopleOrganized PeopleThe Key: Participatory The Key: Participatory

ResearchResearch

2020

CooperativesCooperatives1961 – creation of ANAP, CCS’s1961 – creation of ANAP, CCS’s

1975 – creation of CPAs1975 – creation of CPAs

1993 – creation of UBPCs1993 – creation of UBPCs

All cooperatives in Cuba are voluntaryAll cooperatives in Cuba are voluntary

2121

60% of Campesinos Belong to 60% of Campesinos Belong to Cooperatives, Cultivate 72% Cooperatives, Cultivate 72%

LandLand1219 CPAs 1219 CPAs

60,266 members 60,266 members 772,500 hectares 772,500 hectares

2781 CCS’s 2781 CCS’s 163,800 members 163,800 members 962,300 hectares962,300 hectares

2643 UBPCs2643 UBPCs257,000 members257,000 members3,000,000 hectares3,000,000 hectares

1993: “Third Agrarian Reform”1993: “Third Agrarian Reform”80% of state farms were broken up into UBPCs 80% of state farms were broken up into UBPCs Land under State control dropped from Land under State control dropped from 82% to 24%82% to 24%

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Campesinos Play a Key Role Campesinos Play a Key Role in State Policyin State Policy

Unlike other countries, Unlike other countries, in Cuba there is no risk in Cuba there is no risk that campesinos will that campesinos will disappeardisappear

Their principal ally is the Their principal ally is the State, which gave land, State, which gave land, credit, subsidized credit, subsidized prices, markets, AND prices, markets, AND fosters campesino fosters campesino identityidentity

Campesino a CampesinoCampesino a CampesinoMovementMovement

9000

Campesinos 8000 Promoters

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Campesino a CampesinoCampesino a CampesinoPhilosophyPhilosophy

Based on theoretical & practical work of Based on theoretical & practical work of Brazilian educator Paulo FreireBrazilian educator Paulo FreireHorizontal communication between learner Horizontal communication between learner & teacher& teacherPraxis of reflection-Praxis of reflection-action-reflection to build action-reflection to build political consciousness political consciousness & social transformation& social transformation

2525

Why Campesino a Why Campesino a Campesino?Campesino?

Knowlege is Knowlege is shared shared horizontallyhorizontally, , combining skills combining skills with mobilization with mobilization of campesino of campesino organizational organizational strategiesstrategies

2626

11STST Campesino a Campesino Campesino a Campesino Workshop in Cuba in 1996Workshop in Cuba in 1996

In 1997 ANAP In 1997 ANAP sponsored sponsored the VII the VII International International Congress of Congress of the the Campesino Campesino a Campesino a Campesino movementmovement

2727

““Our urban economy had hit bottom.Our urban economy had hit bottom. At At that moment Cuba was going through a that moment Cuba was going through a very critical period.very critical period.

People worked People worked out of pure out of pure solidarity & solidarity & altruism.altruism.We gave We gave workshops & workshops & people put people put what they what they learned into learned into practice”practice”

2828

are campesinos & members of are campesinos & members of cooperatives who assume a commitment cooperatives who assume a commitment of solidarity with their associatesof solidarity with their associates

They promote by teaching & demonstrating agroecological techniquesThey apply pedagogical techniques on their fincas & teach other campesinos to apply the techniques

Promoters…Promoters…

2929

Yeikel, 18, Youth Worker Yeikel, 18, Youth Worker

3030

AgroAgroecological knowledge ALSO challenges the centralized, hierarchical structures of traditional agriculture

3131

What Makes It All Work?What Makes It All Work?Cuba maintains relative economic Cuba maintains relative economic equality for all, offers State assistance in equality for all, offers State assistance in the form of free education, free health the form of free education, free health care, and guaranteed employment, sends care, and guaranteed employment, sends its highly skilled medical and its highly skilled medical and environmental specialists around the environmental specialists around the world to help other nations, world to help other nations,

And in the wake of Soviet collapse and And in the wake of Soviet collapse and the U.S. blockade, put into place an the U.S. blockade, put into place an environmentally sustainable, chemical-environmentally sustainable, chemical-free, organic agricultural system that free, organic agricultural system that turns attention to the turns attention to the ccausesauses of inequity, of inequity, poverty, and food scarcitypoverty, and food scarcity

3232

Prioritization of the social good over Prioritization of the social good over individual accumulation constitutes individual accumulation constitutes one factor that makes the system work.one factor that makes the system work. People are committed to food self-People are committed to food self-sufficiency, rather than profit, and their sufficiency, rather than profit, and their hearts and souls are devoted to that hearts and souls are devoted to that end. They are passionate about end. They are passionate about ensuring that everyone has food and ensuring that everyone has food and that foods produced are healthy and that foods produced are healthy and chemical freechemical freeA social consciousness places people A social consciousness places people and nature above material wealth. It is and nature above material wealth. It is a system that is socially just, grounded a system that is socially just, grounded in culture, and aims for equity. in culture, and aims for equity.

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¡¡Globalizamos la Lucha!Globalizamos la Lucha!