A lesson from Cuba: Farmer-to-Farmer Movement, traditional knowledge sharing

by: foodgirl

Wed May 19, 2010 at 12:22:25 PM PDT

Associations, co-ops, groups, organizations and affiliations are very big in Cuba. The Cuban farmers, especially, but also the agricultural engineers, scientists and other related experts that form Cuba’s major agricultural industry, seem endlessly enmeshed in various levels of groups that come together for a collective purpose, whether it’s a computer club where people meet to use school computers and learn from one another to farmers who get together to discuss problems they are having and possible solutions amongst itself. I suppose it’s part of the socialist mindset (whereas we tend to value those who strike out on their own, and make it on their own, build a better mousetrap and immediately patent or commodify the idea for personal financial gain). But it’s been an extremely effective method for the transfer of knowledge and problem-solving in Cuba. It also gives everyone a place in a society that values cohesiveness, belonging, and collective production. Nevertheless it made my brain ache trying to remember what all of the acronyms stand for, and who is who in each group, and frankly how they differ from other groups. Basically, there are three models of association for farmers in Cuba:

• Small family farms: The family farms (fincas) that we visited seemed to be very productive, mixed farms, focused on biodiversity and self-sufficiency. Some had biodigesters to produce supplemental gas for cooking and to deal with pig and cow manure; some had solar and wind-power to pump well and irrigation water; a third was producing “soil bricks” as construction material. Excess produce and products are sold to bring income to the farm. Many of the farms were privately owned by the farmers and their families. The Farmer-to-Farmer Movement officially began with the Small Farmers National Association (ANAP) in Cuba in 1997, because it was noticed that this “horizontal” knowledge transfer had the fewest barriers (in other words, farmers trust other farmers for their traditional and tried-and-true knowledge, rather than outsiders who come in with solutions from the big city or universities). There are over 300,000 small farmers (including 35 000 women) and it’s an important economic and cultural sector in Cuba.

• Farming Coops known as Unidades Básicas de Producción Cooperativa (UBPC): Cuba created a framework for small cooperative farms in 1993, basically busting apart the large industrial farming infrastructure that was the norm during the industrial agriculture commodity crop growing years prior to the “special period” in Cuba. Many of the urban organic farms operate under this system. A group of farmers may apply for land or an urban site and farm it for a very small rent (1 Cuban Peso per month; or 24 cents / month). They collectively grow fresh fruit, vegetables and green medicine based on the needs of their surrounding community. This usually includes a portion of the produce that goes to a senior’s home, maternity hospital, school or hospital as their “social contribution.” They are paid a set fee by the state for this contribution and they are obligated to produce a minimum of 20kg/square meter of growing space. Any produce above that is the coops to sell to the community with farmgate sales or at free-market farmers’ markets. This profit is theirs to divide amongst its members as bonuses and to reinvest into the farm. It’s a very lucrative job in Cuba. They can earn twice the amount of the national average state salary, in other words, they tend to earn twice the amount of “white collar” workers such as doctors and lawyers. It’s difficult work, however, because it’s long hours and manual labour in the sun.

• We also saw a rather large collective farm the CPA “Cuba Nueva” that was a communal farm worked by 50 farming members. Including the farmers families there were about 250 people who lived on this collective farm and who were looked after by the umbrella of the cooperative. It is similar to the Hutterite or Mennonite collective farms in Canada, minus the cultural separation and isularity.

• State Farms: Larger scale agriculture and livestock production still exists in Cuba. We didn’t really see a version of this on our tour. So I can’t speak directly to it, but from what I have read and understand, they are large farms directed in their production directly from the state. They produce according to the wishes of the state and can only sell their products back to the state. I have a feeling that much of the food rations that each Cuban is entitled to is produced in this way. Cuba has these organizational units down to a science, and they might even go overboard on the model. That said, they have created groups small enough that interpersonal exchanges can and do take place on a fairly regular basis (whereas we rely on emails for discussions and the internet for knowledge gathering). Yes, it takes time and effort. It involves socializing with one another face-to-face and contributing knowledge for no reason other than to help a fellow farmer. And it’s only as good as your network, but when these little networks liaise with other networks, soon you have an entire country sharing knowledge and expertise. It’s a distinctly Cuban framework that made urban agriculture happen and successful, but might provide some food for thought for the rest of the world, whether we fall into the “socialist” camp or the “capitalist” camp. In fact, the Slow Food movement has been very successful with a similar structure: small convivia where face-to-face education and meetings are the core, then liaising to larger networks and eventually to an international organization. It’s a lesson that those of us interested in feeding the flames of the urban agriculture movement could learn from in North America.