Cuba 2006
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Transcript of Cuba 2006
Interested in food, sustainability, community, agriculture or economics???
Consider in May 2006…
embarking on a Voyage to Cuba;
a country like no other!!!
The Nature
The people
The Farmers
The Culture
The passion
The Revolution
CUBA… a country like no other!
The Community
Field Studies in Sustainable AgricultureTour of Cuba
• Dates: May 1 – 22
• Instructor: Wendy R. Holm, professional agrologist, columnist, resource economist, writer and CIDA project advisor
• Guide: Cuba Natura, personal tour guide and translator
• 3 credits: Obtained through UBC AgSci 302
Why Cuba? Its Unique History
• During the revolutionary period, Cuba was characterized by large monocultures
• Unsustainable intensive factory systems
• Prior to 90’s: extremely dependent on foreign trade for agricultural inputs
• 85% of Cuba’s trade was with socialist countries in Europe
1989 Collapse of the Soviet Union• The availability for Cuba of fertilizers and pesticides dropped by 70%
• Cuban agriculture was faced with an additional drop of 50% in the availability of petroleum
• The U.S tightened the trade embargo
• Castro declared Cuba’s economic crisis as the country entering a ‘Special Period’
So how did a small country adjust to such drastic changes???
It reinvented itself!!!
It looked to its roots!!!
It sought alternatives to high input Agriculture!!!
A World Leader in Sustainable Agriculture• Cuba’s agricultural sector is a role model for all of Latin America, Canada and the rest of the world!
• So… what supported this amazing transition?
• How does Cuba have Global resonance?
•That is exactly what you will be researching!!!
What is included in this course??
Curriculum components
1) Meet with professors and students from various universities and agricultural circles
I.e.: Lecture given by Dr. Ernel Gonzalez, professor of rural sociology
Palacio de Pioneros
Agricultural University of Ciego de Avila
Curriculum components
2) Meet with representatives from, Cuba’s main professional organizations and ministry of Agriculture
Cuban Ministry of Agriculture Sanidad Vegetal
Curriculum Components
3) Visits to various forms of farmers cooperatives
CPA El Moncada
CPA Trinidad
Curriculum Components
4) Visits to botanical gardens and exposure to Cuba’s Green medicine movement
Botanical Garden in Vinales
Curriculum Components
5) Exposure to Cuba’s social and cultural institutions
Markets
Curriculum Components
6) Come face to face with Urban Agriculture
Organoponico
El Rabinito
Curriculum Components
7) Exploration of Cuba’s Ecological Areas
Vinales Valley, The Mogotes Mountains
What more is Included in this course??
Many Amazing Learning Outcomes
• An understanding of Cuba’s agricultural sector, past and present
• The 5 factors that supported the transition and allowed Cuba to transform ideas into practices of sustainable agriculture
•Organic fertilization and soil conservation
•Ecological pest management
•Crop and livestock management
What else is included in this course???
Many fun times!!!
Price: 2,250 USD plus air farePrice: 2,250 USD plus air fare
For a detailed itinerary and course outline
www.theholmteam.ca/student.tour.html
Only 25 spots available!!!