Cuba's Urban Farms

Twelve years later, the fruits of this undertaking are impressive. I spent most of my visit in and around Havana. Everywhere I looked were intensive, raised-bed market gardens. Known locally as organiponicos, these gardens sprung from vacant lots, open fields, and other underutilized areas to produce abundant food all year long. Because my visit took place in the cooler part of the year, I saw hundreds of beds resplendent with lettuce, radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Rabbits and chickens were also common, feeding off the garden wastes and providing meat and manure in return. In urban fringe areas a network of small cow and goat dairies added to the agricultural diversity. I was amazed by the care taken in the gardens. I know on my farm, things get away from us now and then. A few beds of broccoli and lettuce will start to bolt; a couple beds of carrots will run to weeds. Not so in the organiponicos. They are uniformly welltended - nowhere did I see any signs of even the slightest neglect.

These beautiful gardens contrasted with the neglected physical infrastructure. As a rule, most buildings sorely needed paint and many needed significant repair. More tractors and farm equipment were idle than not. The lack of cash resources and access to parts and materials was very apparent, and pointed out why the Cuban government is working so hard to bring in foreign exchange.

This same lack of resources helped me to appreciate just how sustainable their urban agriculture system really is. The Cubans can’t "cheat" as I do, by purchasing processed organic inputs; they had to depend on the fundamental organic principles of using resources that were locally-available and renewable. Within these constraints, they are achieving inspirational results.

According to the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture, these largely organic urban farms produce about 30% of the food needs of the urban population. They are achieving this in a relatively small area. For instance, the Rotunda de Cojimar organiponico received an award for producing an average of 4.5 lbs. of produce per square foot at the 1.5 acre market garden. Levels near this were not uncommon elsewhere. While I know my growing season is shorter, I am happy when I average 0.5 lbs. per square foot. While the country's urban farming is exemplary and inspirational, Cuban agriculture is not without challenges. Much of the farmland is threatened by salinization, erosion and other impacts of unsustainable farming. Agricultural production as a whole still uses a lot of agricultural chemicals and petroleum, especially in sugar cane production. Much like other less-industrialized countries, Cuba is trapped on the export-import treadmill of buying chemicals to grow sugar cane to sell for money that can be used to buy more chemicals to grow more sugar cane to buy more chemicals.

Part of this conundrum can be laid at the feet of the global economy, and part of it belongs to the higher Cuban agricultural officials who still believe that 'modern' and 'progressive' farming equates to industrial and chemical food production. In this way they face the same challenges that we small farmers in the U.S. face when working to convince the USDA and corporate agribusiness that there is another way. Visiting Cuba made me want to farm. To see people succeeding in creating a sustainable, local food system that provides sustenance and pleasure to the local population is truly exciting. Though Cuba is a long way from converting entirely to organic methods, they are a lot farther down the road than anywhere else I know. So I will continue to look to Cuba for encouragement and inspiration as I do my own small part to change the face of U.S. farming.

Andy Jones is Farm Manager of the Intervale Community Farm, a 400-household community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm located Burlington’s Intervale.

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