Christie Qualey

Geography100

Professor Yarberry

October 25, 2009

A Rice Revolution

When one thinks of rice paddies they often conjure up pacific Asian farmers amidst steep

terraced slopes. This is for good reason as Japanese rice farming dates back at least 2000

years.(McKibben) Cuba has taken in the direction of Asian style farming and began to

devote much of its fertile land to growing rice. Just as Cuban’s have learned much from

Asian culture farming, we too can learn from Cuba’s sustainable practices and

resourceful implementations.

After the fall of the Soviet Union and Castro’s revolt of 1959, Cuba was left an

outcast from the global market and without essential commodities such as oil and

necessary food staples.(McKibben) Cuba’s land had been devoted to sugar cane

production, and with a sudden halt of trade, they were left with a surplus of sugar and a

depletion of monetary funds. Streets were desolate of cars, shops were closed, electricity

out, and most notably people were hungry. The large farms of sugar cane were previously

run by heavy petrol machines, which had consequently stopped. ( Grogg)

“In 1989, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the

average Cuban was eating 3,000 calories per day. Four years later that figure had

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 fallen to 1,900. It was as if they suddenly had to skip one meal a day, every day,

week after month after year.”(p.1 Mckibben)

When people are hungry they are forced to take action. Any available land became

devote to food production; front lawns, vacant lots, city parks, medians, and the like.

Cuban food production can be liken to the old times of people working both

independently and community minded. Small scale farming without the use of chemicals,

pesticides, and petroleum was replaced by huge monocrops by necessity but is now an

ideal model for emulation.

You won’t see huge terraced paddies in Cuba but rather many small scale

productions that produce a significant yield. Over 130,000 hectares have been planted

thus far and are expected to increase.(Grogg) Although Cuba is now more active in

import and export trade, it still has a strong foundation of self sustainability. Seeking to

lessen its imports of rice and strengthen its export, Cuba remains on a path of

independence. “The Cuban Rice Program” was introduced in 1996 and continues to

encourage sustainable rice growing practices. This is achieved through modeling Asian

culture rice paddies that work with nature. Implements such as creating water catchments,

swells, animal labor, and composting.

Like most of the world, Cuba and the Caribbean have experienced global climate

impacts. Similarly to much of China and the Asian Pacific, Cuba has experienced

prolonged drought followed by monsoon rains.(Grogg) With adequate planning, Cuba

can work with the climate patterns to keep in sync with nature and production . However,

like Asian rice paddies, some years mother nature takes a devastating turn resulting in

immense crop failure.

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 Cuba’s set backs have been great, and are ones that much of the world will

experience in the foreseeable future, as peak oil comes nearer and environmental damage

becomes more apparent. Asian culture have known and implemented sustainable rice

farming for thousands of years, and Cuba is taking from this ancient wisdom to ensure

their livelihood. The Western World can take advantage of these sustainability techniques

in creating a system akin to nature.

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 Work Cited

Grogg, Rachel. "Cuba: Small Rice Paddies Produce Big Results." IPS News 2004: 2.

Web. Oct 2009. <http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=22907>.

McKibben, Bill. "The Cuba Diet: What Will You Be Eating When the Revolution

Comes?." Harper Publications April 2005: 3. Print.