Support for cooperative management in the agricultural sector in Cuba (APOCOOP)


APOCOOP contributes to food security in 17 municipalities by improving the management of agricultural cooperatives, strengthening tools and enhancing the capacities and conditions of cooperative members and other actors. It promotes models of inter-cooperation between agricultural cooperatives, with gender equity, resilience and economic, social and environmental sustainability, and to socialize results and methods in spaces of influence on land policies in Cuba.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Cuba
Agriculture & food security
Agricultural services & market
Food security policy
01.08.2019 - 31.05.2024
CHF  5’680’000
Background The Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG) promotes the Municipal Food Self-Supply Plan to support the transition of Cuba to a model of food sovereignty. This move meets the growing financial challenges that the country faces to import up to 80 per cent of foodstuffs for consumption. Because agricultural cooperatives are not able to tap their full production potential and that financial resources are scarce, MINAG strategically concentrates its efforts on improving the organizational, economic, productive, environmental and social management of these cooperatives (including inter-cooperation) to increase food production and ensure a healthy and adequate diet for the population.
Objectives Contribute to improve food security for women and men in 17 municipalities by consolidating and disseminating management experiences on inter-cooperation between agricultural cooperatives.
Target groups
  • 14,800 farmers and their families from 100 agricultural cooperatives are trained, increase their agricultural production and income, get new jobs prioritizing especially women, are equipped in order to implement their lines of inter-cooperation as well as new support services for families.
  • 450 government employees and technicians, public institutions, national, provincial and municipal organizations strengthen their technical capacities and improve their working conditions (40% women).
  • 1,025,000 people living in 17 municipalities increase their access to more diverse food.
Medium-term outcomes
  • Increased productivity and resilience capacities of cooperatives and/or people involved by consolidating inter-cooperation processes, including gender equality and resilience.
  • Key stakeholders in the agricultural sector support scaling-up, ownership and recognition of inter-cooperation as part of national and local food production strategies.
Results

Expected results:  

  • The number of people, who consider that access to and diversity of food has improved, increased by 25% and 45% respectively.
  • 100 agricultural cooperatives are involved in inter-cooperation processes and increase their production and profits by 20%.
  • 60% of cooperatives implemented 4 or more practices of adaptation to climate change and risk reduction.
  • 60% more jobs created and 25% of new management positions held by women.
  • 12 new established inter-cooperation lines and 10 family support services, which give priority to women, children and the elderly, were put into operation efficiently in the 17 municipalities.
  • 17 municipalities incorporate inter-cooperation in municipal self-supply programs.
  • 6 municipalities include local programs or projects with an inter-cooperation approach into their development strategies.
  • A province of the country (Las Tunas) extends the inter-cooperation in the agricultural sector to all municipalities.
  • Main stakeholders of the agricultural sector (ANAP and MINAG), incorporate inter-cooperation tools into their procedures and work strategies at national and territorial level.


Results from previous phases:  

  • 89,500 people (41.7% women) benefited from jobs, better incomes, new and better services or products, or training.
  • The number of people who considers better accessibility (29%) and diversity (40%) of food has increased.
  • Participating cooperatives increased their food production by 93% (113,850 t).
  • Cooperatives increased their profits by 117% per hectare per year, generating an additional 70 million CUP per year (CHF 2.9 million).
  • The jobs created have an average income that exceeds 77% the average of the country (767 CUP / month), 54% occupied by women.
  • 71.4% of the managerial positions occupied by women
  • 19 lines of inter-cooperation were established successfully providing services.
  • Contributions to documents of the update of the Cuban Economic and Social Model, and to policies under process on cooperatives, regarding more efficical forms of cooperative management and its implementation principles.
  • The ANAP agreed to promote the replicability of the inter-cooperation experiences through its structures throughout the country.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Other international or foreign NGO North


Coordination with other projects and actors Agrocadenas, BASAL, PIAL y PADIT (projects supporting by SDC)
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    5’680’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    5’372’715
Project phases Phase 2 01.08.2019 - 31.05.2024   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.10.2012 - 31.08.2019   (Completed)