2023-11-16 15:00:00
Stubborn furrows, steep hills, precious livestock, burning sweat… these would be combinations of words that are unavoidable when writing about the Camilo Cienfuegos Credit and Services Cooperative (CCS), whose meeting headquarters is close to the Anap de Caimito, but its lands extend beyond Avocado, in the farms located in Quintana.
This CCS, eminently livestock, founded in 2006, has not wasted the opportunity to insert itself into every productive exercise that exists: planting, raising livestock and fish, animal births, perfecting irrigation, wells, meteorological and geographical knowledge, and innovation, a lot of innovation .
Equal opportunities for women in these parts is serious. They are a complement to the loyal men who accompany them and protagonists of various tasks and purposes.
This is stated by Aina, Yeya and LaPatrona Carcache, only three of the 52 women who make up this cooperative of 168 members and 709 hectares (ha.) of land, of which 627.89 correspond to livestock (29.49 to small livestock), 28.48 to crops. several and 22 a forestry, in the Loma del Esperón area, in addition to a part of non-arable areas and roads.
The guajiras, almost the majority and for more
This cooperative on the north coast of Caimitá is defined by its women. It stands out for being one of the 12 cooperatives in the municipality with the most women at the helm, among which we find Mercedes Vega Martínez, the president since 2014, natural and precise; Aina María Gutiérrez Morejón, the vice president three years ago, originally from Bauta and based in Caimito; and Obdulia Migdalia Collera Rodríguez (Yeya), the young organizer of 75 years, delegate of the FMC block in her block and linked to the combatants, the Party and the electoral commission.
In addition, producers such as Sara Carcache (La Patrona) stand out, who was recently awarded the FMC’s 60th Anniversary Seal, responsible for supplying La Coronela with 100 percent of the milk. And if that were not enough, one of the constituency delegates.
They join this great army: Elizabeth, María Elena, Ester, Matilde, Xiomara, Mireya, Edelma, Deisy, Gladys, Ildelisa… owners or usufructuaries of land, along with another large number in the ranks of the families: daughters, granddaughters, wives, heirs from the cradle of wild tradition.
The rural school provides the relief
The Renato Guitart rural school, for children from first to sixth grades, has already rebuilt its bathroom thanks to the work of the multifaceted farmers of the cooperative, committed to the teachers, many of whom are wives of producers, but especially with the children, children of peasants.
From that primary school, the girl Alanis, granddaughter of Kenia the teacher, graduated to the San Antonio de los Baños Art School to continue her training as a dancer. That’s how intertwined everything is out there, like an organism made up of inseparable fragments.
By the way, they have established a veterinary interest circle, with a doctor of that specialty, who seeks to instill knowledge that can later be applied in the environment. Recently, the daughter of a producer began studies as a Middle Technician in Agronomy at the Ceiba 6 polytechnic, to ensure the replacement of the farms and so that “the roots remain in the field itself.”
Two more girls have the vocation and purpose of starting studies in that field, because it has already been demonstrated that science and the field cannot be divorced, but rather feed each other to guarantee productive efficiency.
The implementation of the drip irrigation system is an alternative in pursuit of water savings
A seal in the community
La Camilo not only dedicates itself to production, but the social factor is a condiment for that great ajiaco that they are. Faith in that are your actions, where it is most needed.
The boy Brayan, in a situation of disability, is – one can say – the sponsored person of this cooperative, in charge of providing him with products every week for his diet such as food, fruits, vegetables… which the farmers already spontaneously leave him.
Now they are short of taro, and this season’s cassava is still very acidic and stringy for the youngest, so to guarantee this work without pause they asked for a loan.
Donations are also common and timely in the Nursing Home and the Maternity Home. They reflect their social networks, that of the little pig and the bags of cassava for the grandparents at the end of the year, a work to which the producer Roberto Contreras has been especially committed.
And since self-sufficiency is the best bet for production, they have been promoting the culture of breeding stock and postures, as a strategy in view of the desired food sovereignty. Hence the guidelines for Health and Education centers to establish livestock modules.
José Cabrera is one of the producers donating breeding stock to Minint, the Casa de Abuelos and soon to the Hogar Materno, one of the priority action centers for them.
They also have the significant contribution of Leonardo López Calixto (Nardo), a quail egg producer, who has donated to several institutions in Caimito, and Brayan’s eggs are a fixture on the agenda.
The reason for this cooperative, in the words of its vice president, is the production of milk for children. They recently faced a problem that affected production for a day, but within 24 hours they had already exceeded the agreement.
Felipe Mirabal (Felipito), producer and president of the grassroots organization in the cooperative, is another one who is not lagging behind. Despite the eventualities that affect his home, he spares no time to help as a bricklayer at the school and has even midwifed a cow, because these full-fledged and hard-working people are, above all, heterogeneous and multidisciplinary, qualities that largely They have allowed them to adapt to difficult environments.
Female empowerment is constant in Camilo
That Jíbaro land has had to give way
Due to their agricultural characteristics, the fields of Quintana are somewhat stubborn. It turns out that these lands, once sugarcane fields, have been becoming increasingly impoverished in fertility, so the peasant who cultivates them, like a magician or knowledgeable scholar, has to look at the good side. Thus, in a 50 cm by 50 cm quadrant there can be soft cassava and cassava that cannot even be loosened by sticks, but those who are from there end up knowing those tricks and are not intimidated; They have fields of fruit trees, vegetables and recently beans.
In these lands the rains are not abundant either. Felipito assures that it is a matter of climate change that Fidel Castro already foresaw, and for which conditions had to be prepared.
Its lands are irregular, with hills that rise and fall, hence the need for its producers to receive fuel to build small dams for irrigation, which can also be used to raise sea bass, tilapia, and fish to be later used in feeding.
To achieve this, numerous sectors such as Citma, Hygiene, Hydrology, etc. must converge to competently evaluate the process and ensure that it is effective, with the oxygenation required in the flow of water, shaded and sunny areas…
Felipito also advocates incorporation into foreign production programs, but assures that as long as they do not have sufficient resources and conditions, the smartest thing would be to focus on smaller-scale, but useful projects such as fish farming and self-consumption.
A little art and a little experience define these producers, peasants who live and work without fear of breaking a sweat. Here men are the engine and women are fuel that move the great promise machine of Artemis: agriculture.
#Produce #fear #Sun