Ecobreves – CUBA: Urban Agriculture Boosts Production

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, May 18 2009 (IPS) - The urban agriculture movement in Cuba produced 409,668 tons of fresh vegetables and herbs in the first quarter of this year, and is now working to offer products even at the height of the northern summer season. The city crops are part of a government strategy for food security, developing intensive gardens and techniques that use only organic fertilizers and pesticides.

Adolfo Rodríguez Nodals, head of the National Urban Agriculture Group, confirmed for Tierramérica that this year they hope to have 385 hectares of crops, where the plants are protected by a dark screen that absorbs 30 percent of the solar rays. The open sides allow free flow of air and help bring down scorching temperatures.

With this approach, from June through August they will be able to supply cities with green beans, beets, cucumbers, spinach, chard, lettuce, celery, parsley and watercress, he said.