This two week tour was organized by The Urban Farmer, Ron Berezan. The 24 participants, an array of urban and rural farmers from Alberta and Ontario, assembled in Varadero, Cuba to begin our adventure. Each day revealed something unique about this amazing country. There were a large number of Cubans helpers involved as well, opening doors and farm gates to the wide variety of people entrusted to help produce food for the nation.

 

We threaded our way from Varadero southeast and arrived at Sancti Spiritus and Trinidad a few days later, on the way visiting demonstration farms, research farms, co-operative farms (UBPC’s), urban farms and private rural farms. Though most of us had some experience with organics, we were surprised at the extent organics and permaculture were practiced. Each stop included many sustainable farming practices including bio-gas production, rotational grazing, intercropping, composting, worm composting, composting toilets, living fences, animal traction, seed saving, water catchment and food preserving.

To understand how this situation had evolved required a little history lesson (for those of us that haven’t been paying attention to Cuban affairs). Yes, we’ve all heard of Fidel Castro and the revolution he won over the Batista regime in 1959. You may have heard of his compadré Ché Guevera. And you’ve likely heard of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 where US supported troops tried (and failed) to overthrow Castro. But after that we didn’t hear much news as Cuba’s ties with Soviet countries grew. Cuban agriculture took on the appearance like that of many industrialized countries: monocultures (sugar cane and tobacco), intensive livestock production and a dependence on chemicals and fossil fuels that we can well identify with. And then something happened. In 1989 the Soviet empire quickly fell apart. The repercussions were not that grave in Canada but most of us had no idea how it affected Cuba. Just imagine how those types of losses could affect our general agriculture right now. So perhaps you’ll be able to grasp the enormity of the catastrophe that Cubans actually call their ‘Special Period’. Many livestock died, famine was a reality but luckily their government acted quickly to establish (or reinforce), co-ordinate, teach and nurture the alternative farming practices that we witnessed. Now more than 20 years later they have much to teach us.

And so our tour bus continued, winding along the south shore, to Cienfuegos (home of a beautiful Botanical Garden) and on to Havana where we were amazed not only at the historic buildings and automobiles but also at a number of successful urban farm cooperatives that feed urban schools, hospitals and seniors residences.

Our tour guides then led us further west for a few days to visit the Pinar del Rio province where we saw our first state cattle farm and also a biosphere reserve where eco-reforestation has restored a former coffee plantation. The area is also home to much of Cuba’s rice production. For our last few days we had a little more time in Havana and then Varadero again before climbing on board the flight home.

It was a culture shock when we arrived in Cuba, and so it was to return home. The impression Cuba had on us was profound and we have definite plans to make our farm more sustainable, diversified and personally to be more content with life’s journey.