Landscape multifunctionality, agroecology, and smallholders: a socio-ecological case study of the Cuban agroecological transition
Cuba’s post‑USSR crisis pushed a shift from industrial farming to smallholder agroecology. A case study shows farmland shrank but staple crop output, incomes, and food access rose. Strong social and environmental supports enabled a sustainable rural transition benefiting people and landscapes.
Subject Tags
- Agriculture
- Community-based conservation
- Social Sciences
Abstract
After the fall of the USSR, Cuba was plunged into an economic crisis with devastating effects on the agricultural system. With few options, the government restructured its agricultural system from an industrial model to a model based on smallholders and agroecology. After several decades, the results of this transition have been far reaching for both landscapes and livelihoods. This research uses mixed-methods, including remote sensing, interviews, and economic and agricultural statistics to present the case study of a smallholder community that has undergone a shift from industrial sugarcane to small-scale agroecology. This work reveals that while agricultural extent has plummeted, production of staple crops has increased dramatically. At the same time, on-farm incomes and food market availability have risen steadily. In the context of strong social, economic, and environmental protections, this represents a process of a sustainable rural transition with several concurrent benefits to people and the environment.
Citation
Machado, M.R. and Healy, M., 2024. Landscape multifunctionality, agroecology, and smallholders: a socio-ecological case study of the Cuban agroecological transition. Landscape Research, 49(5), pp.685-703. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2024.2329602
TNC Authors
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Marc Healy
The Nature Conservancy