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The National Association of Innovators and Rationalizers (ANIR) awarded 28 workers for "high economic and social impact," with Havana being the most represented province (7 awards).
The award edition conveyed a double message: it recognizes the ingenuity of collectives but also normalizes that the industry relies on adaptations of obsolete equipment to keep production lines running amid a crisis of supplies and technological replacement.
According to the official media, among the notable cases is Tamara López Lavastida (28 years old), a technician at the Siré cookie factory, who converted an old candy packaging machine to package cookies, "accelerating" the process and allowing products to be supplied in Guantánamo and Pinar del Río after the meteorological events of 2024.
The award highlights creativity, but also the dependence on “patches” due to a lack of parts and new machinery.
The ceremony, held at the Hotel Palco, honoredsolutions in Communications, Energy and Mining, Agriculture, Education, and Food Industry.
After Havana, the provinces with the most accolades were Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, and Holguín. The official speech emphasized savings and process improvements, while the country operates with aging equipment and bottlenecks in replenishment.
Among the awarded "innovations," adaptations to keep older equipment operational (emergency streamlining) are mentioned; contributions in banking, AI, digital education, and nature tourism with a focus on generating foreign currency; improvements in health (with a non-invasive device that aids pediatric neurosurgery, regenerative biological therapy) and recycling of raw materials for agricultural bags, the sugar industry, milling, salt production, and charcoal.
The telecommunications sector showed significant results: in Matanzas more than 150 2G radio bases were migrated from outdated equipment to modern ones, and a new functionality was introduced to the 4G network that reduces fiber deployment costs. A real technical achievement… that highlights the accumulated update gap.
Ingenuity vs. modernization
The ANIR acts as a productive firewall: when there are no spare parts, we improvise; when the machine expires, we reconfigure it.
Meanwhile, the minister of CITMA, Armando Rodríguez Batista, announced that the General Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation will be presented in December to the Assembly and that it adopts a "broad" concept of innovation.
The current awards highlight the technical resilience of Cuban teams, but also the normalization of the patch as a model.
Without a clear bridge to industrial renewal, innovation will continue to sustain production with old machines, instead of driving the productivity leap that the country needs.
Frequently asked questions about the industrial crisis and innovation in Cuba
Why is innovation rewarded in Cuba when outdated machines are used?
The innovation award in Cuba highlights the creativity of workers who manage to keep production lines operational despite the shortage of resources and aging machinery. This recognition, however, also underscores the country's reliance on makeshift solutions due to the lack of investment in new and modern technology.
What impact do the awarded innovations have on the Cuban industrial sector?
The awarded innovations allow key sectors such as agriculture, telecommunications, and the food industry to remain operational amid a crisis in supplies and technological replacement. However, these solutions are temporary fixes that do not address the structural problem of a production system that urgently needs renewal.
How does the lack of modernization affect the Cuban industry?
The lack of modernization in the Cuban industry perpetuates the use of obsolete equipment, leading to bottlenecks and limiting economic growth. The reliance on makeshift innovations and the absence of a clear plan for technological renewal hinder the country's ability to increase productivity and compete in the global market.
What is the situation of the sugar harvest in Cuba?
The sugar harvest in Cuba is in crisis, with production falling to historically low levels. The lack of modernization, the obsolescence of machinery, and the shortage of sugarcane have led to a structural collapse of the sector, which was once an economic pillar of the country.
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