Pacific organic farmers learning from Cuba

Transcript

Organic farmers from Fiji and Solomon Islands are in Cuba to learn new techniques to improve food security back home.

The Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community says Cuba is the world leader of organic farming.

The training is focussing on Cuba's urban farming techniques, and aims to transfer low-cost and proven ecological farming practices from Cuba to the Pacific.

POETCom's organic systems officer, Stephen Hazelman, told Leilani Momoisea that it's hoped the farmers can easily adopt some of Cuba's farming practices, and bring them back to the Pacific.

STEPHEN HAZELMAN: Cuba went through a period of political isolation I suppose. The Cubans were forced to look within themselves and find their own ways of growing food, and so forth. In doing so, because of the US embargo and all this, they became very innovative and were able to come up with very innovative and sustainable ways of growing food in their country. So we thought that with the help of the UNDP small grants GEF funding, we were able to take two members from Tei Tei Taveuni in Fiji, who is quite active in sustainable farming practices. And also a group from Kustom Gaden in Solomon Islands, and Dr Shane Tutua who has a PHD in soils and who manages a four acre plot of land that has been used for the last 20 years continually. So that's a good example of sustainable methodology. We want to learn from what the Cubans have practiced during those years and I believe soil remedies, pest and disease controls, which are all under organic regulations is what we really hope that the visit will benefit from.

LEILANI MOMOISEA: There is quite a lot attention being paid to urban areas I understand in terms of organic farming.

STEPHEN HAZELMAN: As you know, with all the talk about carbon footprints and transport and population moving to the urban areas. All the logic is that you should get your food systems close to the population sites, if possible. Again the Cubans are quite advanced in this area and we hope to see what is there for us to learn from. But what we are really after, we hope we learn from this visit, is the production methodologies that they have been using. Effective compost methods where they are linked to urban area, waste management, and the use of environmental friendly control methods for insects and diseases.