The Organic Revolution in Cuba
Whether you praise or vilify the late Fidel Castro’s legacy in Cuba, there is no denying one of the country’s greatest achievements – organic agriculture. Forced to turn towards sustainable farming for self-sufficiency, the transition has ensured a safe, nutritional and environmentally friendly food system that is the subject of envy to many around the world.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1990s completely destroyed Cuba’s ability to feed itself. Within a year the country had lost 80% of its trade as well as an impressive 1.3 million tons of chemical fertilizers. Unable to import the machinery, fuel or petrochemical crop care inputs than allowed the country to produce cheap food at an industrial rate, a significant percentage of the population almost immediately began suffering from malnutrition.…