Galia Figueroa Alfonso

Germany

University of Koblenz-Landau Fortstraße 7 76829 Landau Germany

- Master Degree in Social Development, Latin-American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), University of Havana, Cuba (2007-2009) - Bachelor of Science in Sociology (Bachelor Degree with Honors), University of Havana, Cuba (2001-2006)

- Assistant Professor and Researcher, Social Studies of Science and Technology Department, Universidad de la Habana, La Habana, Cuba (2011-2015) - Assistant Professor, Sociology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba (2006-2011)

Prof. Jan Börner Prof. Dr. Joachim von Braun

Dr. Wolfram Laube

• Cuba

- Assistant Professor and Researcher, Social Studies of Science and Technology Department, Universidad de la Habana, La Habana, Cuba (2011-2015) - Assistant Professor, Sociology Department, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba (2006-2011)

- Master Degree in Social Development, Latin-American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), University of Havana, Cuba (2007-2009) - Bachelor of Science in Sociology (Bachelor Degree with Honors), University of Havana, Cuba (2001-2006)

Agricultural Economics Faculty, University of Bonn

Alternative agriculture and farmers’ decision making processes in the context of the "updating of the socio-economic model" in Cuba

After the collapse of the Socialist block a sound economic crisis took place in Cuba with enormous consequences for the agricultural sector and the food security of the population. Previously, the large majority of the inputs for agriculture and foodstuff were imported from East Europe. Without the USSR’s support, the absence of supplies was supplemented with alternative agricultural production techniques. This alternative agriculture, that took the name of Agroecology, was developed everywhere and for everybody during the crisis.

With the relative economic recovery of the country after the 90s, discussions regarding the viability of agroecology and whether this kind of agriculture can provide enough food for the population and national food security are taking place. The dilemma: short‐term alternative to the crisis or long‐term agriculture model still remains unsolved in the actual debate on agriculture in Cuba. This discussion occurs at both, a scientific and political level, between scientists and policy makers attached to conventional patterns, and between those who support a long‐term agroecological conversion.

In such a context, the main aim of the study is to answer the following questions: are agro-ecological practices economically and institutionally viable or are they just a temporary phenomenon caused by a historical crisis? Do they have a future in the current changing institutional context? How do farmers make technological decisions regarding conventional or agroecological agriculture? Why have the farmers adopt agro-ecological practices in Cuba from the 1990s onwards?

The study intends to shed light on these issues through the use of qualitative and quantitative methods. The study expects to provide an analysis on the evolution of Cuban food policy in the last 30 years and its linkages with agriculture models; to reveal the history of pro-agroecology organizations, institutions and groups (their main figures, successes and failures, and nowadays challenges); and to assess, through qualitative social cost and benefit analysis, the possibilities of agroecological practices in the current and future Cuban context.

Analytical studies on the experiences of Cuba concerned with non-technological sphere of agroecology are still scare. This study will provide a socio-economic and political analysis of the feasibility of this form of agriculture that will enrich global scientific debates about the viability of non-conventional agriculture. It will also contribute to farmers’ decision-making studies from an interdisciplinary perspective and will provide practical knowledge to decision-making processes in agricultural politics and food security in Cuba.

- German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) - Fiat Panis Foundation

Prof. Jan Börner Prof. Dr. Joachim von Braun

Dr. Wolfram Laube