Dr. Roberto Caballero, a member of the National Executive Committee of Agricultural and Forestry Technicians, stated on the official program Cuadrando la Caja that one of the main obstacles to achieving what is referred to as food sovereignty in Cuba is the eating habits of the population.
Amid the crisis in the agricultural sector, food shortages, and inflation in Cuba, this official warned that the Law of Food Sovereignty and Nutritional Security promotes not only food production but also a change in the diet of Cubans.
"One of the problems affecting agricultural production is that we have gotten used to eating foods that are not native to our country," said the official.
Caballero used the potato as an example, a tuber of Andean origin that, according to him, "has never adapted to the climate and soils of Cuba."
He pointed out that the State spends more on supplies and seeds than it gains from production. He stated that decades ago, the product was stored in cold storage to maintain supply throughout the year, but the State was losing "more than half of the product, spoiled, without reaching the consumer."
As an alternative, the specialist recommended promoting native crops such as malanga, sweet potato, yam, and cassava, which are better suited to local conditions and require fewer imported inputs. However, in Cuban agro-markets, there are neither potatoes nor any of those supposed riches that the country could have.
In his speech, Caballero also criticized the high rice consumption in Cuba and pointed out that it is an acquired habit.
"We are not Asians. Eating rice is not a Cuban habit. It’s part of our traditions, but that changes, and now it’s easier than ever to introduce that change because, with the current shortages, anything you offer people in the marketplace will be accepted," he said, smiling.
The official's statements generated reactions on social media, where many users felt that the speech attempts to place the blame for the country's food crisis on the population, rather than acknowledging the structural issues within the state agricultural system.
Among the criticisms of the program, several elements stand out. The first is that they did not invite any farmers and only presented a perspective from the State, which is biased and conceals the real issues facing Cuban agriculture.
A user left a very clear comment: "There can be no food production without investment in agriculture. The communists had the brilliant idea of spending money on hotels, while every year fewer tourists arrive, instead of investing in the agricultural and energy sectors. It’s not profitable for farmers to have cows because they can only sell milk and meat to the state at prices set by the state. The land is overrun with marabou, pests are not controlled, the African snail is widespread, and farmers aren’t paid on time for what they deliver to the industry. It’s impossible to achieve different results this way. They’ve been doing everything wrong in the agricultural sector for 60 years and in everything else."
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