Port of Call LAST UPDATE November 24, 2009
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November 3, 2009 Havana, Cuba — Converting Consumers to Producers
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Lush, flavorful cilantro thrives in organoponico boxes at Organoponico Vivero Alamar in Havana.
In Cuba, a timeless saying continues to ring true: necessity is the mother of invention. 20 years ago, Cuba was in crisis. The dissolution of the Soviet Union and a fall off in support from fellow socialist states weakened the national economy. Food and energy shortages followed. The difficulties motivated the Cuban government to look for creative solutions to the challenges facing the country. Out of this search came a number of transportation, food, water and energy innovations. The urban agricultural project, organoponico is one such innovation and was the focus of a Peace Boat educational programme in Havana.

Organoponico is a farming method that uses highly fertile soil boxes to grow fruits and vegetables in urban areas. Successful cultivation of organoponico is a very precise process, but the method has reaped such encouraging results it is now a cornerstone of organic farming in Cuba. The boxes are used in areas where soil quality is poor. Today, there are over 8,000 organic farms, including organoponico, in Havana. The metropolis is close to self-sufficiency in vegetable production.
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Noel Pena, Vice Administrator for Organoponico Vivero Alamar invites Peace Boat participants to smell the richness of the soil used on the farm.
Traditionally, agriculture in Cuba was confined to the countryside where land is available for large-scale production. The transportation and fuel crisis of the 1990s affected the movement of produce throughout the country. By the time it arrived at its destination, it had lost its freshness and much of its nutritional value. In response, the government sought to move production closer to the end consumer. Organic farming presented a suitable option for agriculture in a densely populated city like Havana because of the absence of pesticides and chemicals that could affect the health of residents.

Peace Boat participants visited Organoponico Vivero Alamar in the center of Havana. Fruits, vegetables and animals thrive on 10.8 hectares of land that was once a garbage dump for the capital. The farm is one of the biggest in Havana and employs over 160 workers on a regular basis. At Organoponico Vivero Alamar, participants were able to observe and participate in the production cycle of organic farming in Cuba. Produce from the farm, such as lettuce, tomatoes, guavas and sugarcane supply hospitals and schools in Havana.
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Jorge Luis Pozo Menendez stirs up a box of fertilizer worms at INFAT Research Center in Havana. Peace Boat participants visited the facility as part of the organic farming tour.
Jorge Luis Pozo Menendez, Researcher with the Institute of Basic Research in Tropical Agriculture (INIFAT) was a guest educator onboard the 67th voyage and also joined the educational programme in Havana. An expert in agro-ecology and sustainable farming, he has conducted extensive research in plant species, cultivation techniques and food security, and also published numerous articles on urban agriculture. Mr Pozo said it is important to think of the soil as a living thing. The way that the earth is treated has implications for its present and future productivity, as well as for the health of the population it will support. He spoke about the use of earthworms, manure and plants in creating the optimum environment to grow nutritious food and maintain the integrity of the soil. Mr Pozo said it was also important to match food production to the local community and environment. The use of native seeds, for example, ensures hardy plants already adapted to the soil, pests and climate of the area.

Mr Pozo said that for him, organic farming in Cuba was not a revolution but a re-awakening of pre-industrial farming principles. He explained that the goal of organic farming in Cuba was not to reject the gains that had been made in agricultural science. Cuba simply selects the farming methods that are most beneficial to the current and future needs of its citizens. Mr Pozo said exclusive reliance on large plantations had proved unsustainable and failed to adequately meet the needs of the population. He went on to suggest that urban organic farming would be useful in addressing food shortages elsewhere in the world caused by the growth of the global population.