Project profile — Strengthening the Fruit Production Chains in Cuba

• Cuba (100.00%)

• Public sector policy and administrative management:
Public sector policy and administrative management (15110) (20.00%)
Decentralisation and support to subnational government (15112) (20.00%)
• Agricultural policy and administrative management:
Agricultural policy and administrative management (31110) (40.00%)
Agricultural co-operatives (31194) (20.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)

The project aims to increase food security in Cuba through strengthening three fruit production chains (mangos, guava and papaya) in order to satisfy demand, and generate sustainable development that allows import substitution. The project seeks to improve the performance and management of fruit production chains at the local level in five municipalities in the provinces of Artemisa and Santiago. The project aims to increase fruit production between 15 and 30% in the five targeted municipalities, and update the national fruit strategy from the findings and lessons learned of these local experiences. Project activities include: (1) supporting coordination between local and national actors, and decision makers in the fruit chain; (2) strengthening the capacity of national and local actors to conduct assessments and prepare strategies using a value chain approach; (3) developing and implementing tools to effectively involve women and youth, and promote energy efficiency in value chain assessments and planning; (4) training farmers in fruit cooperatives in agro-techniques, management and market studies, with an emphasis on training women and youth; (5) providing equipment and inputs to strengthen fruit cooperatives capacities to increase fresh and processed fruit production and sales; (6) supporting cooperatives in the implementation of quality control mechanisms; (7) training direct (for example, preparation for retail and industry, cleaning and storage, processing, distribution and commercialization) and indirect (service and input providers such as seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, soils studies and water provision, packaging, and transport) actors in the value chain approach; (8) providing equipment and inputs to strengthen the capacity of these key actors in the value chain to help overcome bottlenecks identified in the assessments; and (9) implementing enabling practices to incorporate gender equality and promote youth employment among direct and indirect actors of the value chain.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced local and national capacities to assess, plan, manage, and commercialize fruit production, applying a value chain approach that integrates gender equality and energy efficiency; (2) increased capacity of cooperatives to sustainably produce, process, and market fresh and processed fruits on a demand-responsive basis, ensuring opportunities for women and youth; and (3) improved sustainable and equitable operation of the value chain through the strengthening of direct and indirect actors relevant to the chain.

Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) eight inter-sectoral teams, one national team per fruit chain (mango, guava and papaya) and five province-level teams created and received training to foster a value chain approach; (2) 161 experts, decision makers, managers and technicians in the sector have increased their knowledge and acquired tools to improve performance and management of the three fruit production chains, specifically by conducting diagnostic studies, developing long-term strategies and implementing municipal action planning; (3) three diagnostic studies and three long-term development strategies (one per fruit chain), and 13 municipal action plans completed, (this covered the five targeted municipalities), resulting in the first-ever comprehensive analysis of the conditions of these three fruit value chains in Cuba; (4) completed a gender-based analysis of the three fruit chains and integrated findings of the study into the diagnostic studies of the chains and published together with the methodology used as useful tools for addressing gender gaps and informing decision in the sector; (5) 1500 farmers (379 women) received training on subjects such as formulating a business plan, grafting techniques, production and use of seedlings, pruning of plantations, production and use of bio-products, climate change adaptation measures, efficient irrigation, and soil improvement and protection; (6) 1027 farmers (189 women) received equipment and tools for an increased capacity to produce, process and sell fruits; (7) 145 person (60 women), including technicians, managers and workers from production service and input provision entities not part of the cooperative sector received training on subjects such as, fruit refining and processing, suitable equipment for refinement and processing, pollination of fruit trees and challenges in the context of climate change, fruit certification systems, propagation systems, flower induction techniques, and postharvest handling and ripening of fruits for industrial processing; and (8) prepared reports, technical manuals and methodological tools for the publication. They include the report on the situation analysis of the three value chains (guava, papaya and mango), the guide on basic concepts and methodological path for strategic planning of the value chain, and technical manuals on the production of the three fruits (one per fruit production line).

• Proactive disclosure