The world’s largest organic farming experiment took place in Cuba during the early 1990s. In the 1980s, the island’s economy had hinged upon trade with the Soviet Union.

The collapse of the latter meant the end of high-input agriculture for Cuba.

The island was forced to transition almost overnight from an industrial food system that relied heavily on agrochemicals and imports to a self-sustaining, agroecological, local approach to food production.

During the “Special Period” that followed, thousands of popular urban gardens emerged out of necessity.

The grassroots response to the food shortages brought about by the loss of trade with the Soviet Union soon received formal government support.

Today, the country is widely considered a pioneer in urban agriculture.

As stated in research led by Professor Miguel Altieri, 50% of the fresh food on the island is produced in urban agricultural settings.