Cuba’s Agricultural Transformations

Abstract

The Cuban government has implemented a series of agricultural transformations since 2007 to increase the country's agricultural self-sufficiency and reduce its dependency on food imports. These include the transfer (in usufruct) of State-owned land to non-State producers (e.g. cooperatives and private farmers), moderate price reforms, the decentralization of decision making, and the gradual relaxation of existing forms of agricultural commercialization. As a result of these measures, the area planted, as well as physical output and agricultural yields (in selected non-sugar crop categories) have shown mixed results, but still remain below desired levels. There are three (3) fundamental unresolved aspects that have prevented Cuba's agricultural sector from achieving the desired outcomes:(1) the need to achieve the "realization of property," (2) the recognition and acceptance of the market as a complementary economic coordination mechanism, and (3) the absence of a systemic focus to achieve the successful completion of the agricultural production cycle. These unresolved aspects should be addressed through: (1) the consolidation of input markets, where producers can obtain essential inputs at prices that correspond to the prices they can Journal of Agricultural Studies

Agrarian Policy Changes and the Evolution of Land Tenure in Cuba

“…; management is often chosen or designated externally and works under directives or guidelines similar to those given to management in State-owned enterprises (SOEs); and UBPCs receive substantial State subsidies that allow them to operate at a loss for prolonged periods of time ( Alvarez, 2004;Membrado & Labrada, 2011). The expansion of usufruct farming since 2008 has significantly transformed land tenure and use in Cuba and constitutes the most profound agricultural reform implemented in recent years (Mesa-Lago, 2013;Nova Gonz alez & Gonz alez-Corzo, 2015;Villalonga Soca, 2015;Febles, et al, 2017;MacCormak Bequer, 2017). 2 Usufruct rights normally exist under state tenancy regimes, a type of statutory tenure system in which the state (or government) retains ownership of most of the land (Feder & Feeny, 1991).…”

“…Agriculture remains as one of the central pillars of the Cuban economy. This strategically important sector accounts for close to 20% of total employment, and an estimated four million Cubans depend on agriculture to sustain their livelihoods (Nova Gonz alez & Gonz alez -Corzo, 2015;Nova Gonz alez & Figueroa Alfonso, 2018). The agricultural sector generates a significant share of Cuba's hard currency export earnings and contributes to multiple spillover effects (or positive externalities) through its strong linkages with other sectors of the economy (Spadoni, 2014;Nova Gonz alez & Gonz alez -Corzo, 2015;Nova Gonz alez & Figueroa Alfonso, 2018).…”

Agricultural Reforms, Land Distribution, and Non-Sugar Agricultural Production in Cuba

“…Prices increases for selected agricultural products Beginning in 2007, Cuba's state-run agricultural procurement and distribution agency, Acopio, raised the prices it paid to agricultural producers for a selected group of products, including beef, milk, potatoes, and rice (Nova González and González-Corzo, 2015). 1 To incentivise non-sugar agricultural production, between 2007 and 2013, Acopio increased the price it paid rice producers by 226.5%; similarly, the price paid for potatoes was raised by 20%; the price paid to milk producers increased by 479.8%, and the price paid to beef producers rose by 263.3% (Spadoni, 2014).…”

“…The most profound agricultural reform implemented in Cuba since 2007 has been the expansion of usufruct farming (Febles et.al., 2017;Mesa-Lago, 2013, 2013aNova González and González-Corzo, 2015;Villalonga Soca, 2015). This process began with the approval of Decree-Laws 259 and 282 in 2008, which authorized the transfer of idle state-owned land to natural persons for up to ten (10) years and to legal persons for periods of up to twenty-five (25) years (Gaceta Oficial de Cuba 4, 2008).…”

Función e identidad en los huertos urbanos de la CDMX

“…Eventualmente, los métodos de agricultura intensiva cubanos, conocidos como organopónicos, se integraron a las políticas públicas del país y, para el año 2000, ya existían más de 22,000 personas trabajando en al menos 2,500 hectáreas, tan solo en la Habana (González & Gonzalez-Corzo, 2015;Viljoen et al, 2005). Aunque no resolvieron por completo los problemas de abastecimiento, los cubanos demostraron que es posible producir una cantidad significativa y variada de alimentos en espacios reducidos con métodos orgánicos.…”