Cuba And The Uk

Question 1

Cuba - background

Answer 1

1960’s cubas agriculture was highly industrialised and relied on former USSER for fuel, fert and pesticides

Cuba lost more than 50% of oil imports - USSER collapsed in 1991 ( 85% of all its external trade) - sugar imports to USSR

1989 - 1993 calorie intake fell from 3012 and 2325

2011 - increased 3277

No access to chemicals and machinery, this was established through low-input organic farming

90% self sufficient in fruit and vegetables

Main imports include cereals,meat and milk protein

2008 - Cuba spent 2.2 billion dollars on food imports including 700 million on rice and 250 million on powdered milk

Question 2

Challenges for Cuban agriculture

Answer 2

Increased frequency of severe weather events due to cc

Sugar plantations have degraded soil

Lack of machinery and capital

Shortage of foreign exchange to buy imported food

Inefficient state-owned farms - most of the 2012 tomato crop failed due to not being collected on time

Insufficient food shop - expensive where they are and carry little fresh produce varying in stock

Black market - eggs and alcohol

Question 3

Improved food security urban agriculture

Answer 3

Urban farms called organiponicos which are small scale co - operatives producing fruit and vegetables on urban waste ground

Food sent to local people - sold by direct stalls

1/2 of Havana’s demand for fruit and veg is supplied by 383,000 urban farms - employing 140,000 people

Shortages of fert and pesticides mean produce is organic
Supports ethos of permaculture by using oxen instead of fuelled farm machinery - closed loop is sustainable

Flagship farms - Vivero Organiponico Alamar ( 11 ha farm on the outskirts of Havana with a work force of 164)

Diverse range of vegetables, herbs,spices and fruit to the local community, hotels and restaurants

Question 4

Improving food security - changes in land tenure

Answer 4

Large inefficient state farms - given way to small cooperatives

10,00 acres of rent free leased land from the state

15% of cubas arable land is now privately owned - farmers have freedom to buy/rent equipment and purchase their own fert Without reliance on government distribution

Cuba - 6 million ha of flat land which is uncultivated - allows for scope and increasing future production

Question 5

Improving food security - new crops

Answer 5

Farmers are adopting droiught - resistant crops such as avocado, oranges and guava

Resistant to wind and rain in the hurricane season are sweet potato and squash

Supported the development of GM crops with GM corn planted across 14 provinces

Question 6

Improving food security - support for farmers

Answer 6

Government has raised guaranteed prices and assistance from the programme of local support for the modernisation of Agriculture ( PALMA)

They provide irrigation systems and rents equipment to drill bore holes

Cuba has developed a specialism in research and training in agro-ecology

Question 7

UK background

Answer 7

2009 - UK government published a consultation document called “ food 2030”

Strategy for food security in the UK in the light of population growth, climate change and rising obesity levels

Question 8

UK core issues in the food shyest

Answer 8

1 - need to encourage people to adopt a healthy diet

2- ensure a resilient profitable and competitive food system

3 - increase sustainability

4 - reducing greenhouse gases of the food system

5 - reduce, reuse and reprocess waste

6 - increasing the inputs of skills, knowledge and R and D

Question 9

UK - Improving food security

Answer 9

Uk imports 40% of food

3 x more food is imported than exported

Even with industrial - scale ( to be self-sufficient the UK would need to produce 2/3 ‘s more or eat 40% less

International trade is crucial as a degree of dependency on external sources of food inevitable

Question 10

“ food 2030” recommendations to ensure future food security

Answer 10

Recommendations for producer:

• grow more / ha but in a sustainable way that uses less energy and water

Introduce GM crops - increased spending on new crop varieties, livestock breeds and innovations

• consider economic activities such as farming on our natural ecosystems and ensure our ecosystems provide water inputs, soil and nutrients are protected and enhanced

Ensure the food chain has sufficient and efficient infrastructural support through seaports, transport systems,energy,water and sewage facilities

Question 11

“ food 2030” recommendations for the consumer

Answer 11

Eliminate through food waste programmes - dynamic prices, food bank meals

Tackle diet -related health issues

• increasing fish diets and developing aquatic industries eg aquaponics( fish farming and aquaponics), growing plants such as lettuce in water
• improve information on nutritional content eg, colour coded charts
• increase availability of organic produce, benefits for soil fertility, natural fert and no herbicides and restricted use of pesticides
• cut supply chains to encourage local and regional sourcing of food eg, by local schemes

Small independent food stores offer fresh produce, northwest = booths

Farmers markets and direct marketing offer advantages of short supply chains ( door to door delivery of organic boxes)

In season food - cut production costs