The Greening of Cuba (1996)

Witness an entire nation transforming its agriculture using organic techniques. The Greening of Cuba profiles Cuban farmers and scientists working to reinvent a sustainable agriculture, based on ecological principles and local knowledge rather than imported machinery and agro-chemicals. When trade relations with the socialist bloc collapsed in 1990, Cuba lost 80% of its pesticide and fertilizer imports and half of its petroleum - the mainstays of its highly industrialized agriculture. Challenged with growing food for 11 million people in the face of the continuing U.S. embargo, Cuba embarked on the largest conversion to organic farming ever attempted. The Greening of Cuba is told in the voices of the campesinos, researchers, and organic gardeners who are leading the organic agriculture movement. This moving video reminds us that entire nations can choose a healthier environment and still feed their people.

Production

Video Project