“Fertilizers and pesticides kill insects quickly but humans slowly.” –A Cuban Farmer
This past May I took part in an international field course that examined sustainable agriculture practices in Cuba. LFS 302A delved into imperative issues ranging from food sovereignty to intercropping to ecological pest management. Currently, Cuba faces a considerable task of attempting to be largely self-sufficient with their agricultural production due to a plethora of factors. These include the current U.S. Embargo and the historical collapse of the Soviet Block in 1991, which acted as a catalyst to a national economic crisis as 85% of Cuba’s imports were suddenly abolished. However, despite the adversity, Cubans have proved to be incredibly resilient and innovative in their farming practices, which has led the country to become a leading nation that promotes sustainable agricultural practices.
Cuba is a unique country that provides access to housing, free healthcare, education and even a steady food supply to each of its citizens as a result of policies implemented by the socialist government. Through ration stores (which sell foods that are heavily subsidized) each citizen has access to their basic food needs. Along with this, Cubans supplement their food intake by visiting state markets, which are also subsidized, as well as farmers markets. In addition, children receive a guaranteed supply of yogurt and milk during their early years, which is vital in providing imperative physical and cognitive growth during this critical stage of their development. As a result, rates of extreme poverty are not present in the country as may be elsewhere in other developing nations.
Additionally, Cuba is a highly educated nation. In fact, despite only possessing 2% of the Latin American population, 11% of Latin American scientists are from Cuba. This has played a large role in the country’s ability to respond to the obstacles that they have faced in the past towards creating an agroecological, sustainable and efficient farming system. Moreover, creating agricultural practices that rely on biological management and organic production are incredibly complex; however, due to the high rate of educated individuals, Cubans have been able to tackle these issues upfront with incredible tenacity and success.
It is important to note that Cuba, just like any country, also faces its fair share of challenges. Specifically, Cubans on average spend 90% of their disposable income on food (though factors such as healthcare and education are taken out of the equation). Moreover, there is not free press and finding ways to attempt to increase family income can be limited. Despite this, the country has still chosen to be resilient and provide some of the greatest achievements in the agricultural field.
Overall, what particularly struck me was witnessing how truly innovative Cuban farmers are. What’s more, they are not only searching for ways to increase their yields or surpluses. Rather, Cuban farmers are primarily concerned with finding ways to benefit the environment by creating a system that promotes biodiversity in which they can produce food from within. For example, we met a Cuban farmer during the course who turned rice husks into organic soil matter. This paradigm is vastly different to the majority of industrial lenses shaped in developed countries. Along with the push for an urban agricultural movement and the strong cooperative presence in Cuba, these viewpoints and factors are only a few areas that developed nations such as Canada could beneficially learn from in a reciprocal relationship.
It was certainly an incredible opportunity to witness all of this first-hand in Cuba, as there are particular areas of expertise that can be gained through experiential learning which textbooks simply cannot teach. As a result, I have returned to Canada with tangible ideas, critical questions and an open mindset with regards to ways in which we can improve our own food production and food sovereignty at home in order to achieve a more sustainable future.