A Slow Food Approach to Coffee Emerges in Cuba

Dr. Jorge I. Dominguez taught international relations at Harvard University for many years, focusing on the Latin American region. Dr. Jorge I. Dominguez has authored and edited a number of books, including those focused on various aspects of Cuban society and economy.

One recent development in Cuba’s agricultural sector has been the emergence of a slow food coffee industry. This involves an ethos of local food production and cooking, such that traditional food cultures survive and thrive. Coffee production has a history in the island nation extending back to the 18th century, when French land owners, fleeing the revolution in Haiti, created coffee plantations in Cuba. By the 1950s, 20,000 tons of coffee were exported annually. However, after the Cuban Revolution, the land allocated to coffee decreased significantly, and it now has a marginal role in the economy.

The country is home to a UNESCO heritage coffee site, and approximately 1.5 tons of Arabica are exported each year. A current initiative is BioCubaCafe, which brings together partners such as the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture and the Lavazza Foundation in integrating coffee production within forested ecosystems. Blockchain-enabled traceability ensures transparency, and the Slow Food’s Participatory Guarantee System helps ensure a quality, sustainably produced end product.

One of the aims of the program is to preserve woodland and biodiversity while contributing to the local and export economy. It also seeks to empower youth and women, encourage social equity, and make the supply chain more efficient.

Regulations Ease to Allow Cubans to Open US Bank Accounts

Dr. Jorge I. Dominguez is a former Harvard University professor who served as chairperson with the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. He was also an Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico. Possessing extensive knowledge of Cuban society and politics, Dr. Jorge I. Dominguez has authored numerous papers on the island nation.

In September, 2023, the US government announced that entrepreneurs on Cuba would be authorized to open accounts at American financial institutions. This will remove a major obstacle standing in the way of Cuba’s private sector growth. In particular, the nascent independent entrepreneurial sector will be able to import essential goods such as equipment, food, and medicine that will help ensure the welfare of ordinary Cubans.

Current US regulations allow Cubans on visits to the United States to open bank accounts, but they are unable to access funds when they return to Cuba due to an embargo that has been in place since President John F. Kennedy. While such restrictions initially had the aim of bringing down Cuba’s communist government, they now simply place limitations on private entrepreneurs. With no ready access to a de facto global currency, these entrepreneurs must find creative ways of paying for imports that require hard currency.

The new easing of banking restrictions comes in the wake of a move announced by President Joe Biden in 2022 to soften US-Cuba policy. Family travel is now expanding, and the US is authorizing the provision of Internet services to Cuban markets, such as e-learning and videoconferencing.