Cuban Homegardens

Economic crises, natural disasters and political instability constantly test the adaptability and resilience of communities all over the world. This book highlights the possibility to enhance social-ecological resilience by means of homegardening. Worldwide, homegardens are a community s most adaptable and accessible land resource and are an important component in reducing vulnerability and ensuring food security. In presenting a Cuban case study, the author shows that major events, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent economic crisis, as well as frequently changing Cuban policies on agriculture, food security, religious freedom and healthcare, have had an impact on household decision-making, influencing home garden composition and management. Homegarden practices increase natural, social and cultural capital and therefore strengthen social-ecological resilience against future environmental, economic and political perturbations.

Autorentext

C. Buchmann MSc, Dip. Hort. (Kew) is an ethnobotanist and horticulturalist with a focus on rural development, local food systems, traditional ecological knowledge and social- ecological systems analysis. She is currently completing her PhD thesis on the ethnobotany of indigenous fruit trees in West Africa.