Subject: PANUPS: Sustainable AG in Cuba

From: Pesticide Action Network North America Reg Ctr <[email-masked]>
Date: 28 Apr 93 10:00 PDT

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  PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK NORTH AMERICA UPDATES SERVICE
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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN CUBA

April 28, 1993

	In November, 1992, an interdisciplinary group went to 
Cuba to investigate the government's claims of recent large-
scale adoption of sustainable agriculture. The multi-country 
delegation included scientists, sustainable agriculture 
activists, and farmers. A report documenting their findings 
will be available from Global Exchange (the tour organizer) 
in approximately two months.
	The group found that Cubans have initiated a national 
transition from conventional, chemical-intensive agriculture 
toward biological and information-based sustainable agro-
ecosystems. This transition involves all aspects of Cuban 
agriculture from production systems to research and 
extension,  to agricultural labor and quality of life in 
rural areas.
	The transition to sustainable agriculture is partly due 
to the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1989. The loss 
of Cuba's primary trading partner plunged Cuba into a severe 
economic crisis and forced drastic reductions in imports of 
inputs for conventional agriculture. From 1988  to 1991, oil 
imports were cut by 50% and pesticide imports by 63%. 
Chemical fertilizer application rates are 20% of what they 
were before 1989. 
	Over 200 local centers have been built to produce 
biological control agents for insect pests and plant 
pathogens. Weed management with crop rotations and tillage 
methods is replacing herbicide use. Extensive monitoring 
systems are being used to help manage insects, pathogens, 
and weeds. Cubans are changing university agricultural 
curricula as well as field training for agricultural 
managers and their employees. 
	The First National Conference on Organic Agriculture 
will be held on May 19-21, 1993, in Havana. An international 
organic agriculture short course with professors from the 
University of California and Cuba highlighting recent Cuban 
advances will follow the conference.

SOURCE: Jeff Dlott, Kearney Agricultural Center (a member of 
the delegation).

CONTACT: Global Exchange, 2017 Mission Street #303, San 
Francisco, CA 94110, USA; phone (415) 255-7296. 

For conference information, contact: Ing. Roberto Garcia 
Trujillo, Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Tulipan No. 1011 c/ 
47 y Lora, Nuevo Vedado, CP 10600, Havana, Cuba.
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The Pesticide Action Network North America Updates 
Service (PANUPS) is a pesticide-related news service 
from the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North American 
Regional Center.  PANUPS is posted weekly on EcoNet, the 
APC computer network, RTK NET, GeoNet/GEO2, the ECONET 
echo on FidoNet, the Sustainable Agriculture Network 
(SANET) on BitNet, and on PENpages. It is available free 
by electronic distribution.  Hard-copy compliations are 
also available. For info: PAN NA RC, 965 Mission Street 
#514, San Francisco, CA 94103. Tel: (415) 541-9140. Fax: 
(415) 541-9253. Telex: 156283472 PANNA. E-mail address 
on EcoNet: [email-masked]
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