Havana (AFP)

During the economic crisis of the 90s in Cuba, Yank Benavente's stepfather pedaled long distances to look for food. While the island is suffering from the effects of the pandemic, Yank is growing vegetables on his roof.

A 38-year-old artist, he has not had a job since the country closed its doors to tourists in late March.

But he now has lettuces, chard, cucumbers and tomatoes above his house in the Vedado district of Havana.

"The idea of ​​growing vegetables in the city comes from the problems of the country and the world, linked to the economy and to the coronavirus", explains Yank, who made planters from old French gutters "Guichard Frères" recovered on a house being demolished.

It thus responds to the call of the communist government, which encourages the inhabitants to grow their food in anticipation of harder times.

"Our reserves, our potential, lie in our ability to produce ourselves," said Minister of Economy Alejandro Gil.

- Insufficient agriculture -

Admittedly, the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the situation on the island, deprived of tourism currencies which enabled it to pay for its imports.

But, as economist Pedro Monreal points out on Twitter, "the reasons for the crisis (food, editor's note) existed before the pandemic".

Main problem: Cuban agriculture covers only 20% of the needs of the population, forcing them to import the rest, at a cost of $ 2 billion last year.

An embassy economic study paints a grim picture: "Cuba is today among the Latin American countries with the lowest yields in terms of agricultural production", with losses of almost 57% of the food produced, during harvesting then distribution, and more than 14% of the abandoned agricultural area.

In 2019, as a result of these structural problems but also of the climate, the production of vegetables decreased by 4.3% and that of fruits by 11.6%.

Yank remembers that in 1994, during the Special Period, the lack of food pushed his stepfather to get on his bike to go to the countryside to get vegetables.

"If we do not find a solution quickly, I think it will be worse than in 94", he fears.

- "The beauty of a lettuce" -

Already at that time, having a vegetable patch at home was encouraged.

In Cuba, "urban agriculture was born during the Special Period, when people needed alternatives to get food," said Marcelo Resende, representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO ) on the island.

"And in this context of difficult food production, the country is emphasizing urban agriculture to respond" again.

Yoandra Alvarez, 49, started doing it in the 1990s. In the suburbs of Havana, she took over an abandoned piece of land, where rubbish was piled up.

Today there grow a hundred fruit trees, enough to make jams and ice creams.

Considered a local reference, she is delighted to see this revival of urban agriculture: "It's very interesting. People are starting to see the beauty of a lettuce", she smiles.

Lack of chemical fertilizers, almost impossible to import due to the American embargo, Cubans use natural techniques, but "we must improve access to seeds, water, we are working on it," said the representative. from FAO.

For Jesus Sanchez, a follower of permaculture and urban agriculture, there is no turning back: at home, he uses old tires and bottles as containers for his crops, while raising rabbits and chickens.

"No need to go out to find condiments, and we have pumpkin, cassava and sweet potato to eat," he says, happy to share with his neighbors. "When we pick mangoes, we give them to everyone!"

© 2020 AFP