Cuba and FAO interested in protecting productive ecosystems

The FAO Cuba Office announced the decision to join efforts, to be financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), for the protection of productive ecosystems in western Cuba’s urban and peri-urban areas.

Cuba participates in the project “Blue-Green Infrastructure” for urban development and food production, which is part of the global program Blue and Green Islands designed to reduce ecosystem degradation, conserve biodiversity, and enable sustainable livelihoods.

According to the announcement, FAO is preparing the proposal together with the Center for Research on Protein Plants and Bionatural Products Research Center, a brainchild of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro bound to contribute to Cuba’s Food and Nutritional Sovereignty Program.

Greater agricultural yields, increased preparedness to tackle climate change, streamlined exploitation of resources, and the recovery of natural and production ecosystems are among the expected outcomes of this initiative, which is also based on actions focused on the circular economy, climate resilience, gender gap reduction, and capacity building for the production of bioproducts and protein plants for animal and human consumption.

Along with another 25 international projects approved by GEF, “Blue-Green Infrastructure” will help countries make their fishing, forestry and agricultural practices more sustainable, restore ecosystems, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.