The urban agriculture in Cuba
A productive and popular movement with ecological basesThe urban agriculture can be defined as the production of foods inside the confines of the cities: in yards, terraces, community orchards and fruit-bearing gardens, as well as in public or unused spaces. It also includes commercial operations that produce foods in hothouses and outdoors spaces, but in most cases it is about a small scale activity disperses around the whole city. The definition of urban agriculture excludes deliberately important aspects of the rural and traditional agriculture such as, forestry and fishing.
In the last years the urban agriculture in Cuba has been developed as a strong agricultural movement in the cities and population settlements. The main goal is to obtain the maximum production of diverse, fresh and healthy foods in unproductive free areas. This production is fully based on organic practices that don't damage the environment, rational use of resources, and a direct commercialization with the consumer.
The products of the urban agriculture are as diverse as those of the rural agriculture. The first specialize in products that don't require big land extensions that can survive with limited resources frequently perishable. For that reason on the cities we can find small farms and yards with fruits, vegetables, small animals and highly demanded products as yucca, corn, beans, etc.
The urban agriculture in Cuba has received a prioritized attention of the Ministry of the Agriculture and of the Government of the country having in mind some aspects such as geographical location, consumption destination market, low resources requirements, doesn't allow the use of toxic and chemicals products, extreme saving of water, and the exquisiteness care of the lands fertility, handling of cultivations and animals.