From: "Robert Fairchild" <solarbobky@xxxxxxxxx>
So if a million dollar study says Haiti can feed itself, what then? Or it
says Haiti cannot feed itself, what then? It depends so much on the
assumptions. Haiti can obviously do better regardless. And what about
cooking fuel? Can Haiti sustainably produce food and the biomass fuel to
cook it? Would it be better to import food and sustainably grow trees for
fuel on steep slopes to preserve soils?
Maybe Haiti imports half its food because population has doubled since
maximum possible production was reached.
Interestingly it appears that Cuba isn't really doing any better when it
comes to food imports:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba
*"Agriculture in Cuba* has played an important part in the economy for
several hundred years. Today, it contributes less than 10% to the gross
domestic product <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product>
(GDP), but it employs about 20% of the working population. About 30% of the
country's land is used for crop cultivation.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba#cite_note-1>
The inefficient agricultural industry in Cuba has led to the need to import
large amounts of beef and lard.[*citation needed
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>*][2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba#cite_note-cnnfood-2> Cuba
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba> now imports about 70–80% of all the
food its people consume[3]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba#cite_note-WFP-3> and
80–84% of the food it provides via the rations to the public.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba#cite_note-cnnfood-2> The
rationing program accounts for about a third of the food energy
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_energy> the average Cuban consumes.[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Cuba#cite_note-wpostsnow-4>
for..."
One could certainly question the "need" to import beef and lard, but food
imports are apparently higher than in Haiti, however:
https://www.wfp.org/countries/cuba
"With its 110,000 km square and 11.23 million people, Cuba is the largest
island in the Caribbean. Over the last 50 years, comprehensive social
protection programmes have largely eradicated poverty and hunger. Ranked 67
th out of 188 for Human Development, the country is among the most
successful in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)..."
No easy answers.
Robert
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