Support to Sustainable Agriculture in Cuba

Project completed

Food security is a priority of the Cuban authorities. Supporting a more productive and sustainable agriculture (economically and environmentally) is aligned with the objectives of the Cuban socio-economic reform. The project aims at supporting three organic value chains (honey, fruits and vegetables) in nine municipalities. It will demonstrate the role of organic production as a catalyst in local development and for the improvement in the quality of life of women and men.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Cuba
Agriculture & food security
Employment & economic development
nothemedefined
Agricultural development
Agriculture value-chain development (til 2016)
SME development
01.01.2013 - 31.03.2018
CHF  2’921’000
Background

Cuba currently imports some 80% of the food it consumes. After many years of working to develop high-input farming, the country now lacks these inputs, causing a negative effect on the volume of agricultural production. Organic agriculture has emerged by necessity rather than design, but it is now an attractive opportunity for both the Cuban State and farmers, as it doesn’t depend on the use of fossil fuels and uses locally available means of production. In addition, working with organic processes improves product quality and increases the cost-benefit ratio as well as resistance to climate change

Objectives

Improve the quality of life of women and men in nine Cuban municipalities through sustainable increase in the availability of (healthy) food and better income for male and female farmers

Target groups

Direct beneficiaries Two hundred and forty-four (244) farmers, of which 30% are women, link up with three value chains in nine of the nation’s 168 municipalities and increase their income by 35%. Two hundred and sixty thousand (260,000) persons incorporate healthy foods to their diet (fruits, vegetables, honey). Indirect beneficiaries Two thousand four hundred (2,400) farmers from another thirty municipalities, thus providing access to healthy food to some 900,000 persons.

Medium-term outcomes
  1. A sustainable increase in productivity (15% to 25%) and in production (20% to 100%) of organic fruits, vegetables and honey in nine municipalities;
  2. An increase in the value of selected organic products (price rise between 15% and 60%) with good acceptance and sales in the local and national markets
  3. The organic production methods promoted by PAAS I are adopted by (2,000) other farmers and promoted by (at least thirty) more municipal authorities. The model is used by national authorities in the definition and improvement of agricultural policies.

 

Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Other international or foreign NGO North


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    2’921’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’847’578
Project phases Phase 3 15.07.2021 - 31.03.2024   (Current phase) Phase 2 01.04.2018 - 31.12.2021   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.01.2013 - 31.03.2018   (Completed)