Cuba and Italy Collaborate on Nutrition and Renewable Energy Project

Havana: The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) is set to introduce the Green Line International project, an initiative aimed at enhancing nutrition, food sovereignty, and renewable energy in western Cuban communities.

According to Lao News Agency, the project, spearheaded by the Center for Research on Protein Plants (CIPB) with AICS’s backing, will be officially unveiled on February 25. This initiative is designed to bolster food security for vulnerable groups by ensuring a sustainable supply of highly nutritious foods.

The project, with a budget of approximately three million euros, is scheduled to span 36 months. It will concentrate on advancing the value chain of the moringa plant and other proteins within the municipalities of Los Palacios, Guane, and Mantua in Pinar del R­o province, as well as in La Lisa and Playa in Havana.

‘L­nea Verde reaffirms AICS’s ongoing commitment to enhancing local communities’ quality of life through sustainable solutions for food and energy security,’ stated Antonio Festa, director of the AICS Havana office. He added that the project aims to benefit over three thousand individuals and strengthen partnerships with cooperation actors to foster a self-sufficient future for Cuba.

Additional participants include the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Cuba, the Institute of Agro-Forestry Research, and the Institute of Fundamental Research in Tropical Agriculture. Italian NGOs such as CISP and ARCS Arci Culture Solidali, along with the University of Pinar del R­o, Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca, are also involved.

In late 2024, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the European Union, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will launch another project titled ‘Program for the ecological transition towards sustainable municipalities in Cuba.’ This initiative is expected to benefit over half a million Cubans and aims to enhance energy autonomy and agroecology in several municipalities across Cuba.

This latter project is coordinated by the Cuban Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, through the Centre for Local and Community Development. It boasts a total funding of 32.8 million Euros, contributed by the European Union, AICS, and UNDP.