environmental conference in cuba

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Sally,

     As one who recently returned from a similar tour of Cuba, I would strongly encourage anyone who can to try to attend this conference.  It is truly amazing what the Cubans have done to promote food security in a predominantly sustainable way with limited resources, ingenuity and  a continuing cooperative spirit--not to mention a bit of entrepenurial encouragement from the Cuban government.

 

     For more information on Cuba, there is the Food First website: www.foodfirst.org , and the Global exchange website: www.globalexchange.org/campaigns.cuba , as well as the website mentioned in the foregoing info from Pam Montanaro.  Another source of info, if any of you have Real Player, is an interview with one of the organizers of my delegation, Kristina Canizares of Food First.  The website is: www.metrofarm.com , go to the archives and choose "Cuba Libre!"

 

     Now is the time to go to Cuba.  Things are changing very rapidly, the economy is becoming more capitalistic, the Cuban government is in the tourism business bigtime and is cutting many deals with foreign investors.  I have to sound pessimistic, but I believe that the Disneyfication of Cuba is at hand.   But right now, they have a whole lot to teach us about how sustainability can work, and it's really impressive.

 

Hasta luego,

Diane Dodge, Ramsey County(MN) Extension Master Gardener