PROGRAMME OF THE TOUR OF NEEM DELEGATION TO CUBA
JANUARY 2011
Day 1
Saturday January 15th
Saturday January 15th
Arrive Havana via Miami.
Morning: Orientation to Havana and to the trip itinerary in courtyard Hotel Nacional.
Lunch.
Afternoon: In Cuban Association of Agricultural and Forestry Technicians (ACTAF). ACTAF´s Conferences room, Playa Municipality, City of Havana
Ø Welcome to Cuba. Discussion and details of the programme (ACTAF, CATEC, NEEM)
Ø Past, present and future of Organic Farming and Agroecology Movement in Cuba / Dr. Fernando Funes – ACTAF
Ø Programmes of Local Development (MSc Ivis Cárdenas) and Agroecology (Dr. Robertro Caballero). Evening cultural event / Paladar in City of Havana
Ø Crops Diversified Farms (BSc Agr. Egidio Páez)
Ø Participatory discussion
Day 2
Sunday January 16th
Sunday January 16th
Morning: Departure from the hotel: 8:30 am
Ø Visit to “Vivero Organopónico Alamar”, Basic Unit of Cooperative Production (UBPC) – Alamar, Habana del Este, City of havana (President: BSc. Miguel Angel Salcines)
Ø Morning: Background, Development, Technical and Economic Organization and Results of the UBPC. Exchange and discussion. M.A. Salcines and UBPC staff. Visit to the field (gardens, raised beds, greenhouses, composting and vermicomposting, micorrhizes, animals (beef, oxen teams, poultry, rabbits, sheep, others), biological controls, vegetative reproduction, ornamentals, commercialization, micro industry, commercialization, other aspects.
Exchange with specialists.
Lunch: At the UBPC Alamar
Ø Afternoon: Tour to Old Havana Historic Shell
Ø Evening: Free
Day 3
Monday January 17th
Monday January 17th
Morning: Departure from the hotel: 7:30 am
Ø Travel to San José de Las Lajas, Havana Province
Ø Visit to “La Joya” Yard – San José de Las Lajas (Techn. Osvaldo Franchialfaro and his wife Miriam) – Innovations – Irrigation programmer (water saving), eolic and solar energy, production of seedlings, others
Ø Travel to Jovellanos, Matanzas
Ø “La Arboleda” Farm, CCS Nicolás Nodarse – Jovellanos (BSc Agr. Héctor Correa and his wife Odalys BSc Arts,. (Integrated farm, plants, animals, trees, pottery, handycrafts, arts)
Lunch: “Indio Hatuey”, Perico, Matanzas: 1:30 pm
Ø “Indio Hatuey” Research Station (Dr. Giraldo Martín, Dr. Odalys Toral, Dr. Jesús Iglesias, other members of the Staff) – Organoponic, bioenergy, efficient microorganisms, silvopastoral systems, forage grasses, legumes and other plants, lawn grasses, sericulture – silk worm raising - , cattle, sheep, buffaloes
Exchange with scientists
Dinner, Cuban Night and lodging at “Indio Hatuey”
Day 4
Tuesday January 18th
Morning: Departure from “Indio Hatuey”: 7:30 am
Ø Visit to “Cayo Piedra Farm, CCS José Martí, “La Angelina”, Perico, (BSc Chem. Fernando Donis) Agricultural Farm (Wormculture, Efficient microorganisms – EM (effect on yields and pests and diseases control), crops – bananas, peppers, papaya, sweet potato, carrots, cabbage, beet, other crops and fruits)
Ø Visit to “El Retiro Farm”, Centre for Reflexion and Dialogue, Presbiterian Church, Cárdenas, Matanzas (BSc Agr.. Juan Carlos Ortega) – Agricultural Diversified Farm (Horticultural crops, animals – cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits), orchard, soft water fishes, biogas for farm energy , micro industry of food processing, education.
Lunch: Picnic in Royal Palms – (Lecho Asada) jungle on way back to Havana
Afternoon: Free time in Havana on return
Return to Havana
Day 5
Wednesday January 19th
Morning: Departure from the hotel: 8:30 am
Ø Visit to “Las Américas” Yard, Playa, C. Havana (Mrs. América Alarcón and her family) – Crops, flowers, fruit trees, swine, goats, cows, poultry, fishes, selling point (commercialization)
Ø Visit to CTA 222 (Consultancy Agricultural Shopping), Lisa, C. Havana
Ø Visit to the Foods Conservation Community Project “Vilda and Pepe”, Pogolotti, marianao, C. Havana (Dra. Vilda Figueroa and José Lama) – Solar drying, condiments, dressings, sauces, etc. – Discussion on healty foods
Lunch:
Afternoon: National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP), Plaza, C. Havana: 2:00 pm
Ø Conference and Exchange with MSc. Braulio Machín and MSc. Deborah Lao – “Agroecological Programme Peasant to Peasant” and Cooperative Movement (CPA and CCS) in Cuba
Day 6
Thursday January 20th
Morning: Departure from the hotel: 8:30 am
Ø Visit to a farmers market- 19 Ave and b St, Vedado, Plaza, C. Havana
Ø Visit to Organoponico INRE 1 - 44 St. corner to 5th Ave.), Playa, C. Havana
Lunch:
Afternoon – Talks and discussions. National Hotel 2:00 pm
Ø Ecological Pest management (Dr. Nilda Pérez, Dr. Luis Vázquez)
Ø Organic Soil management (Dr. José M. Febles and Dr. Rosa Orellana)
Ø Energy Efficiency in agroecological systems of production (Dr. Fernando Funes-Monzote
Early evening cultural event and free time
Day 7
Friday January 21st
Morning: Departure from the hotel: 8:30 am
National Institute of Research on Tropical Agriculture (INIFAT) – Head of the National Programme on Urban and Suburban Agriculture
Ø Visit to the Show Room of Urban Agriculture
Ø Conference on Urban and Suburban Agriculture Programme (Dr. Adolfo Rodríguez–Nodals, Dr. Nelso Companioni)
Ø Discussion
Lunch:
Ø Visit to “Solar Rojo”, Medicinal Plants Garden in Vedado, Plaza (Osvaldo Falcón and Armando García)
Ø Visit to “Antonio Núñez Jiménez” Foundation for Nature and Man.
Ø Permaculture Programme – Different Projects- Rain Water Harvesting in Cuba. (Dra. Cary Cruz and MSc. Roberto Sánchez)
Evening: Cultural events with workshop participants
Day 8 Saturday January 22nd
Visits around Havana - Closing meeting for delegates at National Hotel courtyard before departure from Havana for Miami and connecting flights (early afternoon).
