FAO Representative to Cuba Highlights Role of Education in Agriculture

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 27- UN Food and Agriculture Organization representative to Cuba Marcio Porto highlighted the important role education plays to achieve sustainable development in Cuban agriculture.

Porto said that Cuban farmers have all the knowledge they need to use new technologies that will allow them to raise yields in their harvests.

He said a good example is growing beans within mango fields which allows farmers to better use the available land, optimize the use of fertilizers and to have a profit in short time.

Porto pointed out that the sustainable development model Cuban agriculture is using is based in short, medium and long term strategies which are already producing good results in areas surrounding towns and cities.

This will allow Cuba to produce domestically all the food it needs in times when prices have skyrocketed throughout the world, due to the world financial crisis, he added.

Porto explained that farmers attending workshops are increasing their professional level, a situation that doesn’t happen in many other countries, where people don’t know the benefits food could bring them.

“If they don’t know that fruits contain minerals and proteins they don’t grow them, therefore they don’t consume them and stick to traditional crops that satisfy their appetite”. (acn)

Implement suburban agriculture in 156 cuban municipalities

Sancti Spíritus, Dec 27- In January 2011 the suburban agriculture will be implemented in the 156 foreseen municipalities, IT was informed during the national annual balance of the program of urban and suburban agriculture.

The doctor Adolfo Rodríguez Nodal , member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and national boss of that activity directed by the Ministry of the Agriculture, informed the conclusion and approval of the projects that norman that work in each territory.

Highlighted the effort of those who developed the works starting from the experiences of the municipality of Camagüey, initiator of that work in April 2009, conceived to impel the good and rational use of the surrounding lands of the establishments with more than a thousand inhabitants.

When presenting the report of the results of the present year, Rodríguez Nodal, highlighted that of the objectives of the alone stage only are in execution the investments in the cultivations semiprotegidos when subtracting to conclude them in 102 hectares.

Among the difficulties stand out, said, the affectation of the watering in areas of the urban agriculture when lacking 410 hectares of those foreseen, question to solve in the first trimester of the 2011.

He also expressed dissatisfaction for the non termination of the investments in the organopony technology in almost 195 hectares.

During the encounter was proclaimed Sancti Spíritus like the most integral county in the program of the urban and suburban agriculture during the 2010, and as outstanding classified Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila and Villa Clara.

It was also recognized to the better producing of each territory and the Cooperative of Agricultural Production New Cuba, first in completing the 23 agreements signed between the Agriculture and the National Association of Small Farmers.

The encounter was presided over by Ulises Rosales del Toro member of the Political Desk of the PCC and vice-president of the Council of Secretaries; Miguel Acebo Cortiña, first secretary of the PCC in the county, and Gustavo Rodríguez and Orlando García, minister of the Agriculture and the Sugar, respectively. (Cristóbal Álamo Pérez/AIN)

Fidel Castro Speaks over the Phone with Cuban Doctors in Haiti

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 27 - Cuban Revolution leader spoke over the phone with members of the Cuban Medical Brigade that is fighting the cholera outbreak in Haiti.

Fidel called Cuban Health deputy Minister Marcia Cobas, who is in L’Estere town in the Artibonite department, the most affected by the pandemic, and spoke with several doctors that graduated from the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM)

Cobas is following instructions from the Revolution leader to get in touch directly with all the members of the Henry Reeve medical brigade that are in Haiti, to find out how they are dealing with the tough conditions they are working in.

She asked the cooperants about their health, food, safety and how they are communicating with their families back in Cuba. She also forwarded greetings from Fidel and Cuban President Raul Castro and handed them over a card signed by Fidel.

Among them were Honduran Yorlenis Ramírez, US Gregory J. Wilkinson and Uruguayans Verónica and Brayan who thanked Cuba for having trained them as doctors.

Doctor Elisa Ortiz Vázquez, who heads the 145 health professional brigade in Artibonite, told Fidel they were proud of proving medical services wherever in the world they are needed.

The medical brigade has treated over 46000 Haitinas that had contracted cholera, and have kept mortality at a low 0.59 percent. They also checked over 181000 people and detected 1265 sick among them which they treated.(acn)

Cuba and Senegal to Strengthen Cooperation in Sports

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 7 - Senegalese Sports Minister Faustin Diatta arrived in Cuba with the purpose of signing the first bilateral cooperation agreement in this sphere.

The visitor was welcomed at Havana’s José Marti International Airport by the Vice- president of Cuba’s Sports Institute (INDER), Alberto Juantorena.

During his stay, which will end on Wednesday, Diatta will hold talks with leaders of the Institute and of the National Committee of the Young Communists League, and will visit sports schools and institutions.

A young Senegalese is studying at the International School for Physical Education and Sports located in the municipality of San José de las Lajas, on the outskirts of Havana, from where another three have graduated; and a Cuban trainer of athletics is currently offering his services in Senegal.

Senegal is located in West Africa. It’s bounded by Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea and Guinea- Bissau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.(acn)

Literacy Campaign Advances in Angola with Cuba’s Help

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 7 - Cuba’s support for the teaching of basic literacy to thousands of Angolans was highlighted during a meeting in Luanda between leaders of the South African country and a Cuban delegation.

The Secretary for Political and Social Affairs of the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in that capital expressed his appreciation for the gesture of the Caribbean island of sending advisers to carry out this task, the Prensa Latina news agency reported.

Joana Quintas, first secretary of the MPLA in Ingombota, referred to the educational experiences they have acquired, and informed that, in two years, 108,000 adults of this municipality will learn how to read and write by way of the Cuban method Yes I Can.

Participating in the meeting were ambassador Pedro Ross; the third secretary of the diplomatic mission, Rosa Fonseca; and deputy Luis Ramirez, representing Cuba.

Ross expressed that the fruit of the literacy campaign are the best tribute to the internationalists that died in defense of Angola’s independence.

On this date of 1989, the mortal remains of Cubans who fell in combat in Angola, Ethiopia and other African nations were buried in pantheons built in their municipalities of origin, in ceremonies held simultaneously throughout the island.

The national mourning ceremony took place at the mausoleum of El Cacahual, where Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos addressed participants.(acn)

South Africa Increases Financial Links with Cuba

HAVANA. Cuba, Dec 7- South African President Jacob Zuma announced on Tuesday the granting of a new credit line of 220 million rands (30 million dollars) to Cuba, a country he described as an ally of the entire African continent.

While closing the Cuba-South Africa Business Forum, held for two days at Havana’s Hotel Nacional, Zuma also announced the extension of credit guarantees to the value of 70 million rands, which will back South African exports to the island.

In addition, he also announced South Africa’s willingness to support Cuba with 14 million rands worth of seeds and fertilizers, in order to contribute to the island’s agricultural development.

The head of state said he was pleased because the main business organizations of his country were represented in the forum, to talk about and explore possibilities of trade between the two countries, in a way that bilateral economic bonds can be strengthened.

He expressed the gratitude of his government and people for the support given by the islandin the offering of essential services to the South African people, by way of programs in the fields of health, social development, housing and public infrastructure.

He also expressed his appreciation for the presence of over 400 Cuban professionals, among them architects, engineers and physicians, who’re now offering their services in communitiesof that African country.

Ricardo Cabrisas, Vice-president of the Council of Ministers, stated that those working inthe economic sphere in the two countries are responsible for creating favorable conditions to materialize the objectives agreed in this meeting.

Cabrisas highlighted the absolute willingness of the Cuban party to progress in the deepening, strengthening and diversification of economic bonds between Cuba and South Africa.

Also participating in the ceremony were Estrella Madrigal, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba; Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister for Foreign Trade and Investment, and Robert Davis, South Africa’s Minister of Commerce and Industry. (acn)

Ricardo Alarcon Ends Fruitful Visit to France

HAVANA, Cuba. Dec 7- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcón ended on Tuesday a fruitful visit to France, after carrying out a series of activities on his long agenda, which included a meeting with the president of the Senate, Gerard Larcher.

His last activity in Paris was a meeting with a dozen senators of different political affiliation, in which members of the Upper House of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), the Socialist Party (PS), the Communist Party (PCF) and the Left Party (PG), as well as non-attached legislators, participated.

Alarcon spoke animatedly with the legislators, who were headed by socialist Senator Bernard Piras, president of the France-Caribbean Friendship Group, the Prensa Latina news agency reported.

The two parties welcomed with great enthusiasm the resumption of cooperation relations by way of an agreement recently signed in Havana, and expressed ideas to boost bonds at parliamentary level and between the peoples of the two countries.

The Cuban Parliament President updated his interlocutors on the situation of Washington’s blockade against the island, and gave a detailed explanation on the case of the five Cuban antiterrorist heroes incarcerated in the US for 12 years now.

Add 57 the Classes of Maceo created in Cuba

Santiago de Cuba, Dec 7 . With the creation of two new Classes of Maceo in this city, already adds in the country 57 those circles dedicated to preserve the thought and the moral values of the family Maceo and Grajales.

The new clubs were activated in the primary school Oscar Lucero Moya and the secondary Alberto Fernández Monte de Oca.

Victor Manuel Pullés, specialist of the Center of Studies Antonio Maceo and coordinator of the project, explained to the AIN that to promote the heroic traditions of the Cuban town is a form of contributing to the consolidation of his democratic ideals and patriotic feelings.

The classes that study the legacy of the mambi stock that gave their children to the independence of Cuba - among them the biggest general Antonio Maceo and José Maceo - carry out a systematic work with projection toward the communities, from schools, work centers and social and political organizations.

In this 2010, year of the anniversary 165 of Antonio's birth Maceo, of the one who José Martí said that had “as much force in the mind as in the arm”, his evocation has included cultural, political and educational actions.

Exhibitions about the eminent person's life, shops on their thought, donations of blood and encounters with combatants of the revolution, are some of the activities that are carried out with the support of the Center of Studies Antonio Maceo.

This December seven, when the anniversary is commemorated 114 of the fall in combat of Antonio Maceo, the classes will surrender homage to the brave mambí in all the monuments to his memory, and will direct special mornings to highlight his impronta in the Cuban history.

In Santiago de Cuba, the indefatigable qualified combatant's cradle as the Titan of Brass, the biggest quantity in those groupings works with antecedents in the Maceists Societies that arisen in the first half of the XX century, sowed the civic and patriotic values that made a relating of elegance, civism and courage. (Ekaterina Rivera Zvezdina / AIN)

Salvadoran president receives the Can

Havana, Dec 7 .The president from El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, offered a dinner of honor to the minister of External Relationships of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez who concludes this Tuesday an official visit to the Central American country.

During the encounter topics of bilateral interest were approached, among these the cooperation projects in sectors of the health, education, trade and culture, refer an office of Latin Press.

The Chancellor's arrival happens after the Salvadoran President was in Cuba the days last October four and five, when both governments signed the first four projects.

In accordance with the program, Rodríguez will meet today with the national address of the Front Farabundo Martí for the National Liberation (FMLN), the biggest force politics in that nation.

Will also sustain a second interview with his homologous, Hugo Martínez, with who on Monday carried out official conversations in the headquarters of the Chancellery.

This visit is the first of a boss from the Cuban diplomacy to El Salvador in the history of both nations. (AIN)