Program of Support for the Modernization of Local Agriculture in Cuba

Results achieved as of the end of the project March 2015 include: Increased bean production volumes amount to approximately $400 000 in import substitutions; 80 hurricane-affected cooperatives were supported with equipment and inputs helping them recover short-cycle productions like rabbit and pork meat tubers vegetables and beans for their consumption and as income-generating sources; 40 cooperatives were assisted with pruning and fumigation at hurricane-affected fruit plantations. In both Santiago de Cuba and Sancti Spiritus a detailed production chain map for grains and fruit was developed providing unprecedented information on bottlenecks and opening new space for dialogue among actors of the entire production chain. Four cooperatives and 2 service providers involved in local grain and fruit production chains are integrating Gender Equality (GE) into their management systems. These local groups have created and trained committees to implement the new GE system. The system entitled “Gender Equality for Quality Management of Food Security (IGECSA)” was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture the Federation of Cuban Women and the Association of Small Farmers. At entities where the GE system has been implemented women have reported up to 20% wage increases.