Food Accessibility in Cuba

Document Type:Research Paper

Subject Area:Anthropology

Document 1

This situation has affected most economic activities in the country and the Citizens of the country. The problem started with the collapse of trade relations in the country. The breakup of socialism in the Soviet Union in 1990, created a crisis in Cuba, one which was termed as the special period (Rosset, 1997). As a result, Cuba lost 80% of export market and 80% of import market just within a short period. This made the employment, standard of living and production in the country to decrease since there were no raw materials or food available for consumption. Effect of Food Shortage to Life, Liberty and the culture of People Food shortage in Cuba more especially in Caribbean affects education in the country. Children who are supposed to go to school to learn are malnutrition, and they cannot learn without food.

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This has caused a major drop in the performance of most of the children. Schools cannot offer lunch for the children, and in most cases, children are either released earlier to go back home, or their parents are told to bring the food for them in schools. The lifestyle of people changed including their eating habit, working hours and their social lives. Reduction in the supply of food in the country means the citizens are now forced to expensive food in the government-run stores or informal stores run by people who influence the government. The staple food in Cuba which in most cases is the chicken has been lacking, and the country cannot even afford some proteins used by both the adults and the children. In every corner of the country, people are not satisfied and are opting for better way of increasing food in the country.

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Cuba focused on importation and exportation of goods from United States, China, and Asia. The import in the country has increased while its export decreases due to lack of food in the country. As a result, the country is now depending on its produce, and the produce is not enough to sustain all the citizens. Majorly the products are offered in informal sector, and they are costly. The government has also opened stores to offer some products to the citizens but all at a rate that most of the citizens in the country cannot afford to buy. The foreign trade, however, is of great significance to the country and her partners. Exporting the goods enable in the development of the country’s economy and strengthen the tie between her and the other countries.

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Labors are recognized in the firms and most of the decisions made by various firms they must include the laborers to get their view on matters affecting the operation of the firm. In this way, labors feel they are part of the firm, and this motivate them towards achieving the goals in the business. Their wages depend on the skills of every work. Besides, the government has put restrictions on the minimum salaries that should be given to the employees, and mostly the wages depend on the skills of the workers. Those who are more skilled earn more money than unskilled employees or less skilled employees. One of them consisting of raised bed containers with manure reached soil were they can be transported from anywhere and used by different people to produce goods.

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This is being used to plant vegetable and other produce in small scale. The second land creation involves using the land that has for years stayed idle by the enterprise. There were some land in the country which was fertile, but due to some reason or the other, these lands were not being utilized. The government came up with measures on which this land could be used for the better of the country (Altieri et al. The country has also produced more potatoes with the new technology, and the country is soon solving the problem of food insecurity which has for many years affected its economy. Penetrating more markets to access variety of products more especially markets that pay in U. S Dollars To achieve food security in the country, the government is committed on how they can penetrate in the dollar market to contribute more earning in the country.

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The country has come up with mechanism of achieving these strategies. Cuba has foreign exchange capturing store where they can obtain their dollars from. The government through the minister of Agriculture ensure that the citizens used the available technology and available land in the production of goods. Small changes are being done in the country towards food security, and this is helping the country come out of the problem of food inadequacy. Increasing women’s participation in food production Women have been involved to participate in food production to ensure sustainability of food security in the country. Today, there are very many women farmers in Cuba especially in Caribbean who has made farming to be commercial. This aims at increasing food availability in households. This has boosted the economy of the country, and people are optimistic that the situation in the country will soon change and the country will export more than already doing.

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Affected people by the food Shortage in Cuba Although food shortage in Cuba affected all the individuals, the people who were most affected were the children, elderly people, and the mothers and this can be seen through malnutrition and hunger which cause many deaths to many people. To children, food insecurity reduces concentration of children in school. They cannot understand whatever is being taught id they have not eaten anything. There have been instances where parents have taken the opportunity to take food to their children in school because schools are unable to provide them with enough food. Damage of food shortage in Cuba Shortage of food in Cuba, not only affected the consumers but the entrepreneurs. Business people had to close their shop since there was no commodity to sell.

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Besides, the goods that were being supplied were too expensive that they could not afford to buy and resell at a reasonable price — however, those business people who purchase the goods for resale face a blow on their end. There was no customer who was willing to buy the product at that expensive price. Thus many products went unsold a situation which affected many of the entrepreneurs in the country (Spencer, 2016). The issue not only affect the government but also the citizens living in that country. In Cuba, the issue has affected women, men, and elderly people. However, if the problem is left unsolved, there will be more suffering in the country. For instance, schools will be closed since no one will be willing to go to school when they are hungry.

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In addition to that, business people will close all their businesses and as a result revenue to the government will also reduce. Companioni, N. Cañizares, K. Murphy, C. Rosset, P. Bourque, M. Increasing food sovereignty with urban agriculture in Cuba.  Agriculture and human values, 33(2), 415-426. Lowell, J. T. Law, S. Faminow, M.  Background paper: research and development and extension services in agriculture and food security (No. ADB Economics Working Paper Series.

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