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From the history of Cuba - Urban agriculture


Since the 1960s, Cuba had established strategic relations with the USSR and had since suffered from a historical dependence on food imports, with more than 30% of arable land devoted to sugar cane, one of the few exportable commodities in that country at the time.


Previously, economic dependence was similar, but trade in the first half of the 20th century was mainly with our northern neighbors, the United States of America.


Between 1989 and 1990, due to the fall of the Berlin Wall, symbolizing the end of an era, Cuba lost all access to credit and more than 80% of its market, which caused an unprecedented economic crisis, marked in particular by food shortages.

Investments had come to a complete standstill. The reduction in employment was dramatic. Transport was also significantly reduced, as was the availability of electricity, as there was no fuel and communal services almost disappeared, leading to a marked deterioration in general hygiene conditions.


Before 1989, Cuba imported more than a million tons of fertilizers, more than 20 thousand tons of pesticides and herbicides, a million and a half tons of raw materials for animal feed, 80% of cereals, 50% of rice, 90% of oils and oilseeds, almost 40% of milk and its derivatives. Then everything disappeared overnight.


Urban agriculture then emerged spontaneously during this particular period of the 1990s, with great support from the State, as an alternative or palliative to the critical food situation.


Thus, the use of empty urban spaces belonging to the state was allowed, almost forgotten traditions were saved, organic methods were popularized to improve soils, and access to seeds and basic agricultural tools was facilitated.


Then, as if by magic, vegetable gardens, popular organoponics appeared, and every garden began to produce vegetables instead of flowers.

This new agricultural practice in cities has undoubtedly contributed to the safety and quality of food for the population.


It was also an important source of new jobs, more than 100,000 in all of Cuba and in Havana alone, a quarter of the total new urban farmers.

Thus, it has been possible to optimize over the years a productive use of empty spaces in cities, unprecedented in the history of Cuba, with more than 1,500 hectares currently in exploitation in the urban fabric.


At the beginning of the 21st century, Cuba experienced a marked economic recovery and the empty spaces were then used for the ordinary functions of the city. However, the capricious twists and turns of history have recently plunged us back into a major food crisis and, although in different conditions and with greater availability of resources, the Cuban people have returned to urban agriculture as an immediate and autonomous solution to food shortages.


It is therefore relevant to make traditional urban functions coexist with the environmental and social benefits of urban agriculture, which has finally arrived in our cities to stay.


The city of Havana depends entirely on the import of agricultural products from neighboring provinces with large cultivation areas. Every day an average of more than 50 tons of agricultural products arrive throughout the capital.


Currently, it is common to find small orchards in the streets of any residential area of the Cuban capital, capable of guaranteeing self-sufficiency in vegetables, although today the agricultural markets are adequately supplied.


However, from the garden to the table, the distance is shorter and it will always be much fresher, cheaper and even interesting to start a small business.


News comes from all over the world about the endless lines to buy food in Cuba, the scarcity of food and the obsession of Cubans to buy food to store in case things get even worse... all true, but curiously no one can affirm that a single Cuban has died of hunger so far, despite the very unfavorable conditions we are currently going through.


Vegetables, fruits, tubers and spices, at least in Havana we do not really lack them, the agro-markets often burst with color, and the small vegetable gardens are very efficient. Other food products are however much more sought after. Pork for example, once so common, has become rare, even a luxury such as beef, available only at the new stores at MLC. Chicken, oil and minced meat are much easier to find, although it is difficult to escape the queues. Little by little the charcuterie stands are discreetly coming back into activity although at double the price. Yogurt, cheese, chocolate, coffee, eggs, cereals, milk and other small treats for children are difficult if not impossible to find, even at the stores at MLC.


That's life in Cuba. Things go wrong, it's true, but we keep moving forward every day as if it were our last. There is always a solution to every problem, as long as we are healthy, we have the strength to move forward and we tell ourselves that it is not easy, yes, but that everything is fine and that we will get through it anyway.


By the way, the fact that there are queues everywhere is a sign that there are always things for sale, even if rationed to allow as many people as possible to access them, and that these many people still have the means to buy what is being sold.


In Cuba there have always been queues and there may be for a long time to come, soon even to get vaccinated, while hoping to be able to end this health nightmare that is holding back the economic recovery of Cubans. In the meantime, the fight continues.

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