She Produces Too – Cuba

The situation

In Cuba, access to a wide range of nutritious food is a challenge for everyone. The U.S. embargo, deep financial deficit, energy crisis, and the breakdown of ecosystems due to poor agricultural management and the impacts of climate change have forced Cuba to import more than 70% of the necessary resources to produce food. This is costly and unsustainable for Cuba.

In rural areas of the country, there are additional challenges. There is a lack of agricultural resources and labourers, which has led to a food production crisis in the country. The root cause of these challenges lies in the traditional patriarchal and masculine culture of the agriculture sector, where women only make up just over 15% of employees.

The barriers women experience when trying to work in the agricultural sector range from a lack of access to resources, lack of time due to unpaid care responsibilities and gender discrimination. The increasingly unequal care burden between men and women means paid work for women is hard to come by, particularly in the agricultural sector.

The She Produces Too Project will work to transform food systems to be sustainable, equitable, fair and inclusive in the Matanzas Province, Cuba.

What we are doing

CARE, along with local partners in Cuba, are working with farming communities to:

• Improve women’s participation in the agricultural sector, including leadership
• Improve the practices of governments and agricultural institutions to guarantee efficient local food systems
• Increase production of healthy foods for the most vulnerable communities with broad participation

Increase meaningful participation and leadership of women from vulnerable communities in local food systems by:

• Increasing the capacity of women and men involved in local food systems to address the barriers women face when participating in sustainable food systems with gender equity
• Improving municipal governments’ and agricultural institutions’ capacity to promote the participation and leadership of women from vulnerable communities in their policies and strategies.

Improve gender-responsive and environmentally sustainable implementation and monitoring of Municipal Food Sovereignty and Nutrition Education Plan through:

• Increasing capacities of municipal governments and agricultural institutions to implement and monitor gender-sensitive and environmentally sustainable activities related to the plan

Increase availability of healthy food for the most vulnerable communities with broad participation of women-led initiatives by:

• Increasing knowledge of producers, particularly women, about healthier, more equitable and environmentally responsible food production and nutrition practices.
• Improving access to initiatives, mainly led by women, to sustainable and climate-resilient supplies and technologies.

Project targets

• Reach 3,780 women and 1,620 men agricultural producers and 1000 workers from local government entities
• Increase the participation of 3,871 women and 3,624 men in food systems.
• 983 women and 655 men farmers trained in new sustainable agricultural technologies (agroecological practices, climate-smart agriculture and others).
• 290 women and men from government and agricultural institutions completed the training course on gender equality, women’s leadership and positive masculinities.
• 80% of women and men producers involved in the project identify the main food production practices that are healthier, more equitable and environmentally responsible
• 50% of municipal government and agricultural authorities with skills to estimate food demand taking into account gender equity, environmental responsibility and sustainability of local food systems
• 47,531 (24,329 women and 23,202 men) indirect beneficiaries from Perico and Jovellanos accessing diverse and healthy food due to the improvement of gender-equitable and sustainable local food systems.

Partners