For that purpose, the Cuban Agriculture Ministry (MINAGRI) is joining hands with FAO in boosting local scientific and technical capacity to preserve phytogenetic resources and protect soils, under a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN body informed.

The initiative, entitled “Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Agricultural Management” (Cobimas), provides access to equipment, inputs, and reagents.

The beneficiaries are the tissue culture and seed laboratories of the Alejandro de Humboldt Tropical Agriculture Research Institute, and the soil laboratories of the provincial agricultural delegations, located in the project implementation areas, the source indicated.

According to FAO, this progress represents a significant step toward improving research and development capacity in the Cuban agricultural sector.

GEF-funded tools include devices to measure soil salinity, acidity, and conductivity,aimed at speeding up the certification process of land plots under conservation practices, the UN organization noted.

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