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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE November 12, 2005
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| October 28, 2005 |
Havana, Cuba – Experiencing Self-Sustainable Organic Farming |
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| Cruise Director Hiromi Endo removes weeds on the organic farm |
Cuba is commonly known as a leading producer of sugar, coffee and tobacco however, few people are aware that the country is actually one of the world’s largest organic agricultural producers (measured on a per capita basis). Farmers in Cuba produce a huge variety of horticulture, particularly on small urban farms.
When Peace Boat arrived in Cuba on October 28, around 40 participants took the opportunity to learn about Cuban organic agriculture by spending a day at an urban organic farm in the capital, Havana. As well as learning the basics of organic farming theory, the eager participants were able to get their hands dirty by helping in the field. |
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| Peace Boat participants getting close to nature in Havana |
A brief history of farming in Cuba was explained to participants over a homegrown breakfast by their hosts. Sugar production has always been Cuba’s major industry, and was predominantly exported to the United States until ties between the two countries were cut in 1961. This led Cuba to rely heavily on the (former) Soviet Union for trade. After the USSR fell in 1991, Cuba could no longer rely on this link, and the Government was forced to rethink its agricultural and trade strategies.
The State started to support small farming enterprises, and encouraged diversification in plants so that the population could sustain itself without having to rely heavily on imported produce. Urban farming has skyrocketed over the last decade as a means of sustainability and income, with more than 300 urban farms in and around Havana alone, and around 300 000 people working in urban agriculture throughout the country. |
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| Many tropical fruits are grown on the farm, including coconuts |
Specialist in bio-energy, Pedro Figveras Espizosa talked to participants about the origins of the co-operative farm, which started as a four-person subsistence project and now employs 86 workers. The Cuban government provided land for the farmers to work on, and “…there is a lot of government support for us. The aim is to break large underproductive farms and concentrate on giving freedom to farmers to work together to grow a range of food,” he said.
Plant protection manager Emilio Delis said ensuring diversity is crucial to today’s farming philosophy. “In the past, Cuban agriculture has been about monoculture. We are trying to change that to produce diversity,” he said. Over 15 types of vegetables are grown on the 3.6 hectare farm, plus tropical food including mango, banana and coconut. Food grown on the farm is sold in a market on the site, as well as through the State and to families in the community. |
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| Emilio Delis shows participants how he collects aphids to feed to ladybirds, which are bred and released onto aphid-infected plants |
Many techniques are used to protect the quality of the soil and produce, such as co-planting - planting different plants together to benefit from each other, said Emilio. The farm utilizes nature by breeding harmless insects which are dispersed on plants that are infected with harmful insects. For example, ladybirds can be dispersed on plants infected with aphids, to kill them. |
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| Noel Pena, Production Chief of the farm, demonstrates the impressive system of worm farming which provides farms in the community with rich humus |
The farm has a large-scale worm farm which in turn assists the production of nutrient-rich soil. This is combined with compost and used for plant production, as well as sold to other farms. |
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| in Hirai, from Tokyo, Japan experiences farm work for the first time |
With a new knowledge of urban organic farming in Cuba, Peace Boat participants were able to try their hands at farming. In the crisp Cuban air, they weeded, sorted compost and planted seedlings. The lunch break included sugar cane juice, squeezed straight from the cane, fresh salad and fried banana. Then it was back to work, giving participants a feeling for a day in the life of the job.
Twenty-seven year old Jin Hirai from Tokyo, Japan said it was his first time to undertake farm work. “It was very interesting to have the chance to work on an organic farm and to see the variety of food capable of being produced.”
Through their urban organic experience, Peace Boat participants were able to understand a holistic approach to organic farming, which emphasizes that the efficiency of production need not compromise quality of food or the natural environment.
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