The Cuban official, who leads a delegation participating in the 4th World Food Forum convened by the FAO, held a meeting on Monday with members of the Cuban Embassy in Rome, with whom he discussed Cuba’s presence at the event and other issues.
Tapia pointed out at the meeting that among the main activities of the first day of the event, which runs from October 14th to 18th, a video message from Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stood out, who outlined Cuba’s plans to boost food production, to diversify the economy and improve export capacity, and highlighted the importance of sustainable agriculture, as well as responsible management of resources, aligning these initiatives with national priorities of sovereignty and food security.
The functionary also pointed out the meeting he held with the Director General of FAO, Qu Dongyu, who reaffirmed the willingness to continue supporting Cuba with initiatives aimed at increasing financing, the training of specialists and the promotion of investments, aware of the difficult situation facing Cuba, and suggested that an analysis should be made on how to increase collaboration with the island.
The opportunity of making it possible for a group of young Cubans to be trained in various agricultural disciplines, including the circular economy and value chains, was also discussed, explained Tapia.
At the meeting, FAO’s support was requested to carry out an agricultural census in Cuba, because, although work is already being done on a survey of land use and livestock, a census is necessary to evaluate other issues such as the workforce, population aging and migration from the countryside to the city.
Tapia said that FAO appreciates Cuba’s efforts to consolidate its project with a positive agricultural development model, significant scientific-technical development, the application of technologies, and real possibilities for development. The desire to help Cuba “is obvious,” he said, as the FAO recognizes the lack of resources due, in large part, to the intensification of the United States blockade.
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