6th International Agro-Ecology Meeting in Cuba

Havana, Cuba, Jun 9 (acn) The incorporation of young people and women to the agro-ecological systems and its contribution to food sovereignty will be one of the issues discussed during the 6th International Agro-Ecological, Sustainable Agriculture and Cooperatives Meeting scheduled from November 19th to the 25th in Havana.

Maria del Carmen Barroso Gonzalez, representative of the International Relations Department of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP), told ACN that the event is held every two years and representatives from the US, Brazil and Mexico and the Latin American Coordinating Countryside Organizations have already confirmed for this year´s event.

She pointed out that producers, researchers, academics and specialists exchanged experiences on how to achieve economic, ecological and social achievements of farms and other areas dedicated to this field.

The specialist mentioned that other issues will also be analyzed like family and indigenous agriculture, its role in food sovereignty and rural development; seed production and conservation in the agro-systems, agrarian, territorial and cooperative reform; and agro-ecology, environment and climate change.

Barroso highlighted that in the context of the event, the participants will visit Cuban production farms, whose work are aimed at caring the environment and the management of natural resources for the healthy food production.

According to Barroso, the 2nd Family and Indigenous Agriculture Workshop will be held before and after the event (November 13th to the 18th) and the 3rd Methodology of Campesino to Campesino Workshop (November 27th to December 2nd ).

The event is sponsored by ANAP, Cuban research institutes, the Agrarian University in Havana, Agriculture Ministry and other entities.

Agro-ecology is a way of agricultural and animal production that contributes to the preservation of natural resources and allows the healthy food and good quality food; and these influences in that farms can be less dependent of supplies and its plantations are more resistant to drought and other effects to climate change.