(Picture: http://www.tvavila.icrt.cu)

Agricultural workers from the province of Ciego de Avila increased organic farms to 10 thousand during 2017 and so far this year a project with broad perspectives of development, efficiency and sustainability.

The majority of the agricultural possessions are in the hands of campesinos where they promote practices and friendly techniques with the environment aimed at maintaining the production and not to abuse in chemical products, said the President of the Small Farmers Association in the province, Hanoi Sanchez Medina.

The objective of the association in the 10 municipalities is to plant and cultivate healthy quality food using nature as its model, although the situation of Hurricane Irma and Sub Tropical Storm Alberto severely affected the vegetable, grain and root vegetable plantations, said the specialist.

Plagues in sweat potato, yucca, squash and corn were reduced where the technique was applied, said specialist, Roberto Salas Romero.

He pointed out that three thousand 600 pairs of ox were used in ecological work above all in the fields of tobacco, grains and vegetable where the labor is more efficient without agricultural machines as it does not compact the soil.

The Paquito Gonzalez and Roberto Carvajal cooperatives in Baragua and Florencia top the list in organic agriculture; the first achieved three tons of beans per hectare, while the other reached a record figure and surpassed their plan with the organic process.

Ciego de Avila has over one thousand agro-ecological promoters and facilitators in the production bases through a movement called De Campesino a Campesino (From Farmer to Farmer), directed at food sustainability.

Author: Julio Juan Leandro