“Since the early 1990's, Cuba has been engaged in the most comprehensive conversion from chemical to organic agriculture that any nation has yet attempted.” -- Peter Rosset, Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First)
BACKGROUND
In the early 1990's, Cuba's agricultural system and food supply were decimated by the collapse of the Soviet Union (which had supplied the majority of Cuba's food imports (chemical fertilizers and pesticides, fuel for transportation, farm animal feed, and almost 60% of Cuba's food. The U.S. exacerbated the situation by tightening the trade embargo of Cuba. Cuba's economy fell by 80%. Food and other basic commodities were scarce.
Cuba was forced to begin to practice organic and locally-grown agriculture on a nationwide scale. There are currently tens of thousands of organic gardens in Havana alone and over a million across the country. In the late 1990's, the Cuban Association for Organic Agriculture (ACAO) was granted the International Right Livelihood Award (the Alternative Nobel Prize) for its efforts.
There are many additional organizations and associations in Cuba, governmental and nongovernmental, promoting organic and sustainable agriculture, via permaculture (Antonio Nunez Jimenez Foundation for Nature and Humanity - FANJ); urban gardens (Cuban Association of Agricultural Technical and Forestry Workers - ACTAF); and rural organic cooperatives (Association of Small Farmers - ANAP), in Cuba. We work closely with ALL of them on our research tours.
Havana now grows well over half its fresh food organically and locally. Cuba hopes to be self sufficient in the production of most of its basic foods within the next decade.
All Cuban young people are introduced to agriculture and food production as part of their education, spending at least one summer during their high school years, farming in the countryside.
University graduates in agronomy are handsomely rewarded for contributing their knowledge of research, technology and administration in rural settings. This entices educated rural Cubans to return to the countryside by offering them stimulating and productive employment.
Please check out our Resources [2] page for articles, blogs and videos on Sustainable Agriculture in Cuba.
This tour is being organized by Eco Cuba Exchange [3] (ECE) in the Bay Area of California and the Foundation for Nature and Humanity in Cuba.
Please contact ECE coordinator Pam Montanaro [4] by email or call 510-649-1052 for more information on this tour.
City Tour of Havana and Old Havana
Alamar, largest organoponico in Havana
Antonio Nunez Jimenez Foundation for Nature and Humanity
Las Terrazas intentional community
Reforestation projects
Sierra del Rosario Eco Station
Rural cooperative farm
Vermaculture
Renewable energy projects
Institute for Tropical Agriculture
Possible visit to Trinidad
Cultural options
Round trip flight Cancun - Havana
Cuban visa and required Cuban health insurance
Double room accommodations (Single supplement $300)
Two meals per day
Full program with translation
Program Guide
All transportation to scheduled program
Price does not include:
One meal per day (either lunch or dinner)
Bottled water and other beverages
Gratuities and tips
Excursions separate from group
Expenses of a personal nature
We must receive your application and a non-refundable deposit of $500 six weeks before departure. Payments by Mastercard, Visa and Discover are welcome.
This trip will be as diverse as possible in terms of race, age and life experiences. We strongly urge people of color to apply. In some cases, a limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.