HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 29 (ACN) The Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST by its Portuguese acronym), from Brazil, delivered today to the Institute for Fundamental Research in Tropical Agriculture (INIFAT by its Spanish acronym), in Havana, a shipment of agro-ecological seeds to increase food production and contribute to food sovereignty.
The donation was made in the presence of Diosnel San Loys Martinez, Cuban deputy minister of agriculture; Gerome Faure, consultant of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Cuba; Elizabeth Peña, head of the national program of urban, suburban and family agriculture; Nirvia Regina Da Silva and Marcelo Durao, representatives of the MST, and executives of agricultural companies in the country.
Peña explained that the adaptability of the samples to the climatic conditions of Cuban fields will make it possible to sow 200 hectares, which means more than 5,000 tons of food, to achieve food security and sovereignty and meet current nutritional needs.
The official declared that the seeds received correspond to carrot, Chinese cabbage, summer cabbage, kale, cilantro, parsley, eggplant, smooth mustard and curly mustard, which will be distributed to producers of cooperatives and seed farms in order to achieve the exchange of experiences and results with the South American nation.
For her part, Da Silva, representative of the MST, said that this is just the beginning of other aspects of cooperation and solidarity, which will lay the groundwork for other partnerships with the Cuban ministry of agriculture, its directorates and associations.
INIFAT has a genetic potential of national and foreign origin that allows the development of 142 varieties of 46 botanical species, including grains and vegetables, present in Cuban agriculture.
