Visits to Provinces Show People's Creativity and Wisdom in Challenging Times
Lajas,
November 27, 2024
Visit to Ciego de Ávila Province
Among his many visits, President of Cuba and First Secretary of the Party Central Committee Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, recently visited Ciego de Ávila. His time with the people there included visits to the state-owned Sebioca small-and-medium-sized enterprise (SME), an exchange with workers of the Ciego Norte photovoltaic solar park, visits with contingents of students from the Federation of Middle School Students (FEEM) and Federation of University Students (FEU) who will take part in a national prevention exercise, and with the people of the 9 de Abril community.
Sebioca is a biofactory located next to the Máximo Gómez Báez University of Ciego de Ávila. Since January it has become a medium-sized state enterprise. Díaz-Canel was interested in the progress taking place. Sebioca has a new form of economic management and has shown encouraging results in providing high quality agamic, botanical, and biotechnologically produced seeds.
The introduction of high-yield clones, such as FHIA 04 — a variety of banana that the province did not have — and links with universities and research institutes have been decisive in the development of this factory. These links include those with the Plant Biotechnology Institute and Research Institute of the Central University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas, and with the Tropical Roots Research Institute (Inivit).
Among the achievements this year are the sale of more than 250,000 seedlings to companies like La Empresa Agropecuaria La Cuba. This is in line with the call to apply science and innovation in the cultivation of the land and contributes directly to increasing food production.
The delegation then witnessed the flag-bearing of the Pedro Martínez Brito contingent, composed of 150 FEEM and FEU students. The students were to visit establishments and SMEs to evaluate how the measures approved by the government are being implemented. They are to share their results with inspectors, teachers and government and Party officials.
Díaz-Canel visited the photovoltaic solar power generation park under construction in Ciego Norte, with a capacity to generate 21.7 megawatts of electricity. With the completion of the site in February next year, plus synchronization with others currently under construction, next summer the province will be self-sufficient in electricity, including at midday peak hours, generated with photovoltaic energy.
Photovoltaic
solar power generation park
The delegation also spent time with neighbours of the 9 de Abril community, which has undergone a major construction to renovate the area and thorough work in the social area, including care for vulnerable people. He praised the initiative of several companies in the region that moved closer to the communities and sold food at differentiated prices. So far this year, in just the municipality of Ciego de Ávila, these companies made available to the popular councils that govern communities more than 534 food rations. Strengthening work with the youth is also taking place.
Díaz-Canel pointed out that in challenging times, the creative endeavours of the people comes to light, and the people of Ciego de Ávila show it with many daily actions. These include the increase in sowing levels, the development of the agricultural company La Cuba, the fact that the province ended the year with a surplus, and increased community work.
Visit to Los Palacios, in Pinar del Rio Province
President Díaz-Canel and other leaders visited the Tierra Brava farm on November 21, which has overcome difficulties in production. Today they have diversified production; secured a rich seed bank; and have remarkable social outreach. There are a variety of crops, including cassava, banana, and other fruit trees. The farm also exports spices and wants to do the same with nuts.
Onay Martínez Díaz, from Tierra Brava, brought out the importance of self-reliance, saying, "if the cooperative owns the seed, it has a strength; therefore, to rebuild the Cooperative we had to recover the seed. We worked with the research centers and looked at varieties from different places, to see which ones were the most resistant."
Díaz-Canel brought out that, "In the midst of the crisis they have achieved this, and that is the model of agriculture that we need, that is within our reach," and "where science, new technologies and innovation are applied." The President highlighted how the people are improving their lives and young people are involved and the collective work is an example of value to the whole country.
Vietnamese Friends Contribute to Self-Sufficiency in Rice
"There is a commitment that in the shortest possible time Cuba can be self-sufficient in rice, from assimilating your techniques and knowledge, and with your cooperation," said the president to a group of Vietnamese who live in the city of Los Palacios. Together with Cuban producers, an experimental investment project is underway with a Vietnamese company.
"We have come here to support the Cuban Homeland," said a young Vietnamese woman to Díaz-Canel, upon arriving at the Basic Business Unit (UEB) Semillas Cubanacán. It belongs to the Los Palacios Agroindustrial Grain Enterprise, where the experimental project is taking place.
The Vietnamese friends decided to build a 16-hectare experimental structure, which has now been planted. In addition, so far this year, some 300 hectares have been sown. In the same area, next year, a thousand hectares will be sown. Part of it will be done with Cuban seeds, and the other part with Vietnamese seeds.
"We have to study well the behaviour of each seed we use," Díaz-Canal said. He advocated a direct and systematic interaction between the producers of both nations, so that the Vietnamese friends with ample experience can raise all their concerns.
To the members of the UEB, he reminded them of the importance of such a productive structure having results and overcoming any inefficiency: "You are part of a prioritized program of the country, in cooperation with Vietnam. This is one of the fundamental ways we have to achieve food sovereignty."
Improvements for Santa Mónica Community
With some 450 inhabitants and 245 houses, the Santa Mónica community, in Los Palacios, has experienced changes that have impacted it for the better. It is known as a neighbourhood in transformation, where there is a family doctor's office (previously non-existent), a bakery (also newly acquired), and a cooperative whose main activity is agriculture.
As part of identifying and solving problems, there was an accountability assembly in the community. The main concerns of the residents were the issues of the roads, transportation, water supply and the state of one of the nearby bridges.
A special meeting also took place at the Clara Zetkin rural school, where the president spoke to the children about World Children's Day (November 20): "All of you have now been summoned for a debate," Díaz-Canel told them. "[I]n these assemblies you have to see how rights are being protected, and where you believe there is a violation of rights you also have to denounce it; and the teachers, the institutions, have to help solve those problems." He commended the teachers for contributing to education in a rural area.
Speaking to the people of Los Palacios more generally, Díaz Canal addressed the particularly sensitive issue of the electricity service. He said: "This situation is very complex. Yesterday was a hard day for electricity, the level of blackout in the country was very high."
The deterioration of the plants providing electricity and inability to get needed parts and fuel because of the blockade is a major problem. He brought out encouraging projects, such as the use of renewable energy sources, like the photovoltaic plant in Ciego de Ávila.
Visiting Guanajay in Artemisa Province
While visiting the province of Artemisa, President Díaz-Canal's first stop was in the city of Guanajay, at the People's Council #1, in the community of Cayao. A brigade from the province of Camagüey was working to restore electric service facilities.
When the president arrived with other leaders of the Party, he was updated on how the recovery process for electricity was going. The most delayed municipalities were Caimito, Alquízar, Mariel and Güira de Melena. With recovery, the estimated electric energy service for that day was expected to exceed 80 per cent.
The José Ramón Martínez Pediatric Hospital — a centre that was hit by Hurricane Rafael — was the second stop. The hospital has been working hard to restore everything that was damaged by the hurricane. Restoration was also being done by the Office of Procedures of the Defense Zone Three, in Guanajay's Popular Council #3.
Visiting the Province of Camagüey
On his visit to Camagüey, President Díaz-Canel and other leaders visited a branch of the Family Assistance System (SAF), a fish market, a bodega, and finally, a laundromat in the community, known as Lavatín. It has a good reputation. He brought out that the positive developments taking place and being sustained confirmed that by working collectively, together, the current difficulties will be overcome, and much better conditions will emerge, including improved quality and greater sensitivity to the problems of the population.
The delegation visited a food production plant that belongs to the UEB (Unidad Empresarial de Base, or Base Business Unit) known as "Estrella Roja," the province's fishing company. The plant provides more than 150 tons per month of food products, including sausages, minced meat, fresh fish, and hamburgers. The impact of this plant, whose raw material comes from aquaculture, is significant for the population. High levels of productivity have earned it a prestige that make Camagüeyans proud.
They also visited the Villa Luisa farm — with 12.4 hectares of fruit trees and short-cycle intercrops — which is one of the 115 farms that are part of the province's Green Ring. Over a period of nine years, the farm has become highly productive, with 1,300 mango trees, 6,000 guava trees, 400 coffee trees, and more.
"Look at the culture of work here," Díaz-Canel said with admiration. Villa Louisa has direct links with the company to which it belongs: the agro-industrial company "Camagüey." There, where the land has been developed to the maximum, one can see the great wisdom of the people, something Cuba has in abundance.
(With files from Granma, edited for style and grammar by TML.)
This article was published in
Tuesday,
December 17, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/ITN2024/Articles/TI54704.HTM
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