Food culture in cuban family farms benefiting from the Biomas phase III project

Abstract

The work exposes the research carried out in 25 Cuban family farms in the east and center of the country, linked to the Biomas Cuba project in its third phase just started.  Field trips were carried out and questionnaires were applied to more than 80 peasants, to assess the eating habits and customs of peasant families, knowledge levels in nutrition and food hygiene, preferences in food, menu diversity,  the principles of seasoning, the frequencies of consumption of vegetables and fruits, the safeguarding of traditions and the state of health, among other aspects.  In addition, information was collected on the management and status of farms to assess technological and cultural aspects, which included the surrounding communities and the levels of self-supply and commercialization of food.  The results reflected that some food habits are maintained, which are remarkably entrenched, the consumption of vegetables and fruits is still insufficient, the habits of high sugar consumption persist, the consumption of conventional products is maintained, the high diversity is not yet valued vegetable for food purposes, and the levels of knowledge of these populations in relation to food culture are not yet satisfactory.  In the farms it was observed that biomass is used as a renewable source of energy for the production of biogas and fertilizers;  however, other appropriate technologies need to be introduced to take advantage of wind and solar energy, fundamentally, to improve energy efficiency.  Peasant families are self-sufficient for food, on average more than 75 %, however, it is necessary to add value to the productions that are now marketed as raw material.