In the early 1990's, Cuba's agricultural system and food supply were decimated by the tightening of the U.S. embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union (which had supplied the majority of Cuba's food imports (chemical fertilizers and pesticides, fuel for transportation, feed for farm animals, and almost 60% of Cuba's food. Cubans referred to these years as the "Special Period."

Due to the severe shortage of hard currency for the importation of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Cuba was forced, in the early 1990's to begin to practice organic agriculture on a nationwide scale, with some very exciting results. 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 was granted the International Right Livelihood Award (the Alternative Nobel Prize) for its efforts.

Organic agriculture continues to be supported and expanded at government and grassroots levels. Havana now grows over half its fresh food organically, and locally. Cuba hopes to be self sufficient in the production of many of its basic foods within the next decade.

University graduates in agronomy are handsomely rewarded for contributing their knowledge of research, technology and administration in both rural and urban agricultural settings. This entices educated young Cubans to return to the countryside by offering them stimulating and productive employment.

All Cuban young people are introduced to agriculture and food production as part of their education, spending at least one summer of their high school years, farming in the countryside.

Global Exchange and Food First co-organized the first U.S. delegation to Cuba focused on sustainable agriculture in 1993, then co-authored the seminal book on the subject, The Greening of Cuba and collaborated on an award winning video of the same title. Global Exchange organizes regular delegations of professors and practitioners of organic agriculture to Cuba, who have developed exchange programs through their universities and communities. These relationships are now proliferating, with scientists and farmers expanding their own joint projects between the U.S. and Cuba. It is only the U.S. embargo that interferes with the full development of these joint projects.

Program Highlights:

• Scale Model of Havana
• City Tour/urban gardens/farmer's markets
• Ministry of Agriculture
• INIFAT, Institute for Tropical Agriculture
• Cuba Solar, Cuba's "Energy Revolution" NGO
• Western province of Pinar del Rio
• Las Terrazas experimental community
• Permaculture Project/Organic farm cooperative
• Neighborhood organization, (CDR)
• Small Farmers Association, ANAP
• Privately run farm, a UBC
• Medicinal plant farm
• Community Food Canning project
• Optional Cultural visits

Cost: $2550 , double occupancy when available; single occupany supplement, $300

Price Includes:

• RT flight Cancun/Havana/Cancun, three star hotel accommodations, two meals per day, translation, transportation, and program fees.

How to Register:

Make your reservation online now!

Contact Leslie with any questions about this trip, or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 ext. 242.