the famous organoponico

Despite quite wanting to write about worms and their role at the very centre of this farm (since they’ve been my main occupation for the last few days) I think I should resist - at least until I’ve explained a little more about the Organopónico.  We’ve already covered (albeit briefly) the social, political and economic reality that surrounded the birth of urban agriculture in Cuba (as much attributed to the country’s economic collapse as the change of mind-set ‘from large scale technical agriculture depending on imports to small scale highly organic cooperatives’) , but I’d like to paint a picture of what actually goes on here day to day before going into the particulars. (It might be quite a long one but hey, it’s the weekend right?!) 

The UBPC (Unidad Básica de Producción  Cooperativa)  ‘Organopónico Vivero Alamar’ at its most basic is an extensively farmed highly diversified organic farm. it starts with rabbit, goat and cattle manure, produces (vermi)compost of the highest quality, uses this to grow seeds which when tended to and harvested turn into over 400 tonnes of vegetables, 30 000 units of fruit and 120 000 kg of dried herbs (amongst other things) a year. Obviously there are some stages in between though, including: 

• A (small) animal farm. Oxen for manual work, goats for milk and rabbits for sale. Poo being the most valuable contribution from all three however. 
• Vermicompost and regular compost production. Fascinating stuff, and, in the case of a completely organic farm, one of the most important elements. Also strictly man’s work – will touch upon gender division of labour soon….  
• Preparation of the soils. Sometimes oxen are used, never chemical fertiliser. Otherwise as above.  
• Greenhouse and propagation house. Yet to learn about these but, as explained later, they’ve revolutionised production here. 
• Irrigation via a network of wells and sprinklers which serve everything from fruit trees to maintaining compost humidity. (I also haven’t touched on the drought here…another day) 
• Biodiversity biodiversity biodiversity. Not only do you get more of this when you can’t spray insecticides and pesticides, you also need it desperately to help you fight any pests and plagues. Maize line the vegetable isles to act as edible barriers for pests and flowers attract butterflies and other beneficial insects. Biodiversity is abundant.  
• Medicinal plants. This area seems to be pretty important – either for religious reasons or the desire to steer away from conventional drugs. Either way there is much expertise here.   
• Ornamental plants. Either for homes and for show; one of the most productive parts of the business.  
• Fruit production. Mangos, avocados, coconuts, pineapples, papaya’s, guava…Those that don’t get eaten for snacks get sold to the public. So not much.  
• Vegetables, of course. At this time of year the vegetable production is low but you still get beetroot, lettuce, tomato, pepper, sweet potato, carrots, cucumbers etc, just in smaller quantities.  
• A kitchen industry – which uses a solar cooker and lots of elbow grease to turn over/ under ripe and unsold produce into products with an extended shelf life. 
• A small laboratory where pests are studied and biological controls grown. (Isis works here). 
• Finally, a produce market – less like any farmers market we’re used to and more like the small roadside egg/vegetable sellers you find in the UK. They sell what there is and sometimes that isn’t much – some spinach, onions, plantain. Sometimes a pineapple or mango. But nothing more exotic than that so far. The rest of the produce as I understand it is collected and delivered to hotels and other locations in the city.  Despite the quantity however, they’re rightfully proud of what they produce to sell to the community, and as they should be.   
  
  

And if you’re still following, a bit of context… 

In 1994 ‘Agro Acción Alemana’ (a German NGO) started supporting the development of a decentralised urban agriculture network in the country; helping to select,  start up and develop over 100 cooperatives located in areas of dense population close to the capital. It started helping the  Vivero in 1998, just a short while after its founding, and the effect seems to have been revolutionary. The propagation house, irrigation system, greenhouse, classroom etc were made possible with its support.  

Today UBPC  (Unidad Básica de Producción  Cooperativa) Vivero Organopónico Alamar works exactly like any other cooperative. The president is elected every 5 years by the assembly, and then forms a plan for its strategic development. In this case the president has been re-elected thrice, and it’s no co-incidence that he – Miguel Salchines - is also the charismatic founder of the organisation.  

Furthermore, the salary varies as you would expect depending on your expertise,  but not overly I’d expect. As far as I can gather, this is by and large a financially successful cooperative. Some parts are more economically productive than others, particularly the ornamental plants for example. As for the exact salary, I can’t be sure, though apparently it’s not an off limits topic. (Give me a bit more time perhaps). I do know however that the average salary here is $250 pesos (Cuban) a month, which is about £7. So, not much. But I’m sure I read/heard that wage offered here in Alamar is greater than the average. And as well as this the extras add up to make this work an attractive one;  

• In the summer months of June, July and August, when the sun is oppressively hot, work commences at 7am and finishes at 1pm. 6 hours of hard work as opposed to 7 during the rest of the year. This makes sense given the heat and must be an attractive proposition. Whether the pay decreases as a result, however, I don’t know. Everyone also works either Saturday or Sunday. But when you think it’s only a half day, it doesn’t seem so bad.   

• The morning snack (bread and fresh pineapple juice) and lunch (rice, sometimes beans, salad, meat of some description) are also prepared here and distributed for free at 9am and 1pm. Both are quick affairs and with little ceremony to them. The portion size is also quite curious; male labourers and female office workers get exactly the same, and either way it wouldn’t carry you through to dinner. (Around 11am local women arrive to sell frozen mango juice and small coconut sweets as well).   
• Interest free loans 
• And curiously, as well as a distributing the uniform and wellies, it also offers a hair dressing and manicure service. (blog post to come on my manicure experience…) 
  

But for Salchines, the social element of this cooperative is perhaps the most important. The environmental impact is vital of course, and economically it has got to wash its face – and some – but Salchines, like much of the world facing the need to get more people working with the soil - is battling the lack of enthusiasm for manual farm work. He wants to turn the situation around; not only to create jobs for people but for there to be enjoyment and pride in the work.  The community he has created is just one element of what people see when they come around though – and boy do people come. Some day’s there may be no tour but others they’ll be hundreds of people – Mexicans, Germans, Belgians, English, Canadians, even Americans on an educational visa – all clicking away. What he has produced with the help of a hard working community is a model of success for other cooperatives and producers. But to think this is just about the food would be a mistake.