A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE: AGROECOLOGY AS A RESPONSE TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS IN CUBA

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. iii Over the past century global agriculture has come to be characterized by high levels of industrial inputs, as well as increasing consolidation of land ownership and a focus on export-oriented monocrop production. In spite of its dominance, this conventional model of food production has faced growing criticism for being environmentally, socially, and economically unsustainable, and alternatives such as organic agriculture are becoming increasingly popular. The rapid growth of these alternative modes of production raises questions regarding how sustainable food systems should be defined, how they might best be implemented, and how they can contribute to the overall goals of sustainable development. Cuba is a recognized leader in the adoption of sustainable agriculture. This researc

Políticas de nutrición y desarrollo rural en Latinoamérica.: La Red de Iniciativa de Nutrición Humana.

In Latin America, rural communities are increasingly suffering health problems related to both food insecurity and non-nutritious diets. In the face of insufficient government action, non-state actors have, in many cases, taken the lead in addressing this issue; however, their work is deeply intertwined with the policy contexts in which they operate. Using a comparative case study approach, this paper argues that a policy context that moves beyond a food aid approach, limiting free trade and promoting small-scale sustainable food production, can be effective at tackling nutrition issues, in part because of the synergies created with non-state organizations. The paper also highlights the importance of networking as a means of rebuilding the social fabrics of rural communities, thereby furthering development efforts.En Latinoamérica, las comunidades rurales están sufriendo cada vez más de problemas de salud relacionados con la inseguridad alimentaria y con las dietas poco nutritivas. De cara a la acción insuficiente de los gobiernos, los actores no estatales han tomado el liderazgo para atender este asunto, en muchos casos; sin embargo, su trabajo está profundamente entrelazado con los contextos de política en los que operan. Usando un enfoque de estudio de caso comparativo, este artículo propone que un contexto de política que ha llegado más allá de un enfoque de asistencia alimentaria, limitando el comercio libre y promoviendo la pequeña producción sustentable de alimentos, puede ser eficaz para afrontar problemas de nutrición, en parte debido a las sinergias creadas con instituciones no estatales. El artículo también resalta la importancia de establecer redes como una manera de reconstruir el tejido social de las comunidades rurales, promoviendo así los esfuerzos de desarrollo