ALIMAR URBAN AGRICULTURAL CO-OP

At around 6'4" and taller than most Cubans, the president of the Alimar urban agriculture project, that we had come to visit cut an imposing figure in his camouflage work gear and gaucho hat.

as we gratefully gathered in the shade of the projects' café we were glad to accept another of the small intense coffees we have come to appreciate at each visit. clearly accustomed to international visitors and obviously a very busy guy he got straight down to business.

The project is a co-operative, democratically run, producer of food and medicinal plants. The president, along with the executive committee are elected by the members in a secret ballot for a five year term. The co-op is able to provide, fresh organic fruit, vegetables etc a a low price to the people in the surrounding community. employing 170 workers, who receive shares in the co-op, the salary is 4 times higher than the average salary.

The president outlined the importance of changing attitudes and raising the status of working on the land, professionalising a job that was traditionally viewed as unskilled and unattractive.

As we have travelled through the different regions of Cuba, we have noticed smaller urban co-ops. a minimum of 6 friends or neighbours in an area. the land is leased free of charge and tools and seeds are provided to help these groups make a start.

He said " food production is of vital importance in Cuba" . Through necessity the huge state farms were broken up, during the "special period" in the 1990's and today between 70% and 80% of all agricultural land organised under some kind of co-operative system.

historically, Cuba was the biggest sugar growing country in the world, but when the soviet bloc collapsed , so did Cuba's ability to export her crop and had to go through a period of diversification which had a huge impact on food production around the country leading to food shortages.

Now food co-ops, like the Alimar project, help provide some of the local community's needs , giving food to the local schools and nurseries but also provides for other community development including employment, access to financial loans, free meals three times a day for workers and training paid for by the profits of the co-op. but unlike other co-ops. Alimar, receives EU funding, but has rejected funding where the criteria could not be agreed on however, the two remaining EU partners are respectful of the projects aims and continue to fund the project without interference and as the co-op president said," one of the biggest frustrations for we Cubans is that we know the way but lack the resources"