permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>]

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7327134.stm>
Page last updated at 17:34 GMT, Wednesday, 2 April 2008 18:34 UK
Cuba lending farmers state land
Tobacco farmer in Cuba
The aim is to increase food production in Cuba

Cuba has begun lending unused state land to private farmers and co-operatives as part of efforts to boost agricultural 
output.

Officials estimate about half of all arable land in Cuba is currently 
underused or fallow.

The government has already started to pay farmers higher prices for some 
products, such as potatoes.

The national farmers' association said the move was to encourage production 
of cash crops such as tobacco and coffee.

This is the latest reform announced under new President Raul Castro.

In recent weeks, the state has lifted a ban on its citizens staying in hotels previously reserved for foreigners and 
allowed Cubans unrestricted access to mobile phones for the first time.

Import cuts

Everyone who wants to produce tobacco will be given land to produce it and other crops, Orlando Lugo, president of the 
island's national farmers association, told the Associated Press news agency.

Increasing production of cash crops like tobacco could boost foreign exchange earnings while a rise in agricultural 
output could cut Cuba's food import bill.

The island spends about $1.6bn (£806m) annually on food imports and Mr Castro has launched a major effort to increase 
food production since he became acting president in 2006.

He took office in February this year, when his brother, Fidel, stepped down.

Analysts welcomed the agricultural move, but said it was not yet fully clear 
what it would mean.

If the latest move means "all land that is not being used, like for private farmers, co-operatives and state farms, is 
available, that is positive," Carmelo Mesa-Lago, a Cuba economics expert at the University of Pittsburgh told the 
Associated Press.

"Assuming of course, they have the freedom to sow and sell whatever they 
want."

In the early days of the Communist revolution, farmers had to hand their land 
over to the state or collective farms.