Empowering Women and Building Sustainable Food Systems: A Case Study of Cuba's Local Agricultural Innovation Project

Bárbara Benítez, Erin Nelson, María Isabel Romero Sarduy, Rodobaldo Ortíz Pérez, Anaisa Crespo Morales, Caridad Casanova Rodríguez, Maybe Campos Gómez, Aliek Méndez Bordón, Annia Martínez Massip, Yaima Hernández Beltrán, Jordan Daniels · 2020 · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

Summary. Cuba's Local Agricultural Innovation Project (PIAL) uses participatory plant-breeding and agroecological methods to build sustainable food systems while empowering women farmers. Operating across 75 municipalities, PIAL increases women's participation in farm innovation, boosts their confidence and income through diversified production and micro-enterprises, and strengthens community resilience. The program challenges gender norms, engages youth, connects local farmers with research institutions, and embeds itself in government structures to ensure long-term sustainability.

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Benítez, B., Nelson, E., Sarduy, M. I. R., Pérez, R. O., Morales, A. C., Rodríguez, C. C., Gómez, M. C., Bordón, A. M., Massip, A. M., Beltrán, Y. H., & Daniels, J.. (2020). Empowering Women and Building Sustainable Food Systems: A Case Study of Cuba's Local Agricultural Innovation Project. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.554414

@article{ben-tez-2020-empowering-women-building-sustainable-food,
  title   = {Empowering Women and Building Sustainable Food Systems: A Case Study of Cuba's Local Agricultural Innovation Project},
  author  = {Bárbara Benítez and Erin Nelson and María Isabel Romero Sarduy and Rodobaldo Ortíz Pérez and Anaisa Crespo Morales and Caridad Casanova Rodríguez and Maybe Campos Gómez and Aliek Méndez Bordón and Annia Martínez Massip and Yaima Hernández Beltrán and Jordan Daniels},
  journal = {Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems},
  year    = {2020},
  doi     = {10.3389/fsufs.2020.554414},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.554414}
}

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AU  - Rodobaldo Ortíz Pérez
AU  - Anaisa Crespo Morales
AU  - Caridad Casanova Rodríguez
AU  - Maybe Campos Gómez
AU  - Aliek Méndez Bordón
AU  - Annia Martínez Massip
AU  - Yaima Hernández Beltrán
AU  - Jordan Daniels
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Details

DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.554414
Countries: Cuba
Regions: Caribbean
Categories: food-systems, entrepreneurship, climate-and-environment
Added: 2026-04-28