Ecobreves – CUBA: Eco-Gardens in the City

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, Nov 11 2006 (IPS) - – Urban crops in Cuba will produce some 4.3 million tons of vegetables and fresh herbs this year, Adolfo Rodríguez Nodals, head of the National Urban Agriculture Group, told Tierramérica. Urban gardens make good use of space in populated areas, utilizing organic fertilizer and biological pest control, among other techniques to grow food at low cost and with no harm to the environment.

In Havana, urban farming provides each of the 2.2 million inhabitants with 200 to 250 grams of vegetables and fresh herbs daily, and in other parts of the country the portion surpasses 300 grams, says Rodríguez Nodals.

Experts from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend daily intake of 300 grams of vegetables per person, which helps ensure a minimum of vitamins and minerals in the diet, as well as maintaining good health.