Abstract

MIRANDA, Taymer et al. Main limitations and solutions for food production: The contribution of the Innovation Program in Matanzas, Cuba. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2015, vol.38, n.3, pp.202-208. ISSN 0864-0394.

A research was conducted in order to identify the limitations for food production, as well as their causes and possible solutions, which were identified and constructed, jointly, with farmers, owners or usufructuaries of 25 farms of the Perico, Martí, Colón and Jagüey Grande municipalities (Matanzas province, Cuba) involved in the Local Agricultural Innovation Program (PIAL). The diagnosis was carried out in a participatory way, from the social, economic and environmental points of view, taking into consideration the methods recommended by the CATIE of Costa Rica. The main limitations identified were: the insufficient feeding basis for the animals; the high prices of agricultural inputs with regards to the price of the farmers' products; the inefficient productive chain, with unfulfillments by suppliers as well as recipients; the lack of agricultural knowledge of some recently incorporated owners or usufructuaries; as well as the low genetic quality of the animals. These limitations fundamentally affect the milk production, which constitutes the main commercial item of most of the studied farms, which in turn are affected by the inadequate soil cover due to overgrazing. The results indicated that the resources obtained by different ways should be directed towards those aspects of higher priority for the farms, which were discussed during the planning with the farmer families and with the managing boards of the cooperatives. This would speed up the elaboration of projects and would clarify the direction of the investments

Keywords : Animal feeding; constructed solutions; productive limitations.

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