Amidst an unprecedented agricultural crisis, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel revealed a series of initiatives last Friday aimed at reigniting food production, easing access to essential supplies, and attracting investment into the agricultural sector.
These actions are part of the Economic and Social Program for 2026, which underwent public consultation at the end of 2025 and was reviewed with insights from both Cuban and international experts. The plan also incorporates artificial intelligence tools and draws from the experiences of nations like China and Vietnam.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of declining domestic food production, increased imports, and escalating food insecurity impacting millions of Cubans.
Empowering Land Producers
The core of Díaz-Canel's reforms is focused on providing greater autonomy to state, cooperative, and private producers as a strategy to counter years of agricultural decline.
The proposed measures aim to boost agricultural output by:
- Allocating land to individuals who can effectively cultivate it.
- Reducing idle land.
- Enhancing agricultural productivity.
- Simplifying agricultural-related procedures.
Díaz-Canel asserted that new regulations would be implemented to ensure minimal idle land and maximize productivity levels.
Access to Resources and Financial Markets
One of the highlights of the announcement is the enhanced access to resources, which has historically been a major hurdle for producers.
According to Díaz-Canel, farmers will now be able to:
- Access input markets using national currency.
- Purchase supplies in foreign currencies.
- Engage in the currency exchange market.
- Open real currency accounts in Cuban banks.
"Producers will now have access to input markets in both foreign and national currencies, as well as the exchange market," he stated.
The measures will extend to state, cooperative, private producers, and even projects involving foreign investment.
Fostering Partnerships and Foreign Investments
The plan also aims to enhance collaboration among various economic entities involved in food production.
Díaz-Canel suggested that conditions will be created for state producers, cooperatives, private entities, and foreign investors to form associations and joint ventures.
He emphasized that all productive stakeholders will be able to "interact and form associations," confirming that foreign investment can directly participate in food production.
The stated goal is to develop new business models that can swiftly increase national production.
Streamlining Bureaucracy in Agriculture
Another promise made is to reduce administrative hurdles that have long plagued the agricultural sector.
The leader expressed intentions to expedite:
- The establishment of enterprises.
- The approval of agricultural projects.
- Procedures linked to agricultural production.
The objective is to ensure "minimal delays, paperwork, and bureaucracy."
New Land Law Expands Usufruct but Imposes Limits
The announced measures are supported by the Agricultural and Forestry Land Law Project unveiled recently by the regime.
This legislation extends usufruct contracts up to 25 years, with a possibility of renewal, and raises the maximum limits for certain agricultural activities to 268 hectares.
However, it maintains significant limitations on land ownership and circulation:
- Land leasing remains prohibited.
- The State retains preemptive rights on any land transaction.
- Private ownership is restricted to 67.10 hectares per individual.
The release of the project coincided with the announcement of the Ministry of Agriculture's dissolution, to be replaced by a new Ministry of Agro-food, which will integrate agriculture, sugar, fishing, and food industries.
Aiming for Food Sovereignty
Díaz-Canel stated that these transformations aim at a common goal: decreasing external food dependency and enhancing domestic production.
He explained that the anticipated business models and regulatory relaxations are intended to enable Cuba to "achieve food sovereignty and become self-sufficient in food production."
A Sector in Historical Crisis
These measures emerge at a time when Cuban agriculture faces one of its most critical periods.
- Rice production plummeted from 304,000 tons in 2018 to 111,000 tons in 2025.
- Root crops decreased by 44%.
- Egg production fell by 43%.
- Milk production declined by 37.6%.
- In 2024, primary agricultural outputs dropped by 53%.
Cuba continues to import between 70% and 80% of its food, costing around $2 billion annually.
Meanwhile, the independent survey "En Cuba Hay Hambre 2025" revealed that 33.9% of households had at least one member go to bed hungry in the past month. Independent organizations have warned of a chronic humanitarian emergency linked to food shortages.
In several provinces, farmers have reported trading food for fuel to sustain their crops, while others have reverted to using oxen and windmills due to shortages of supplies and machinery.
Promises Amidst an Accumulated Crisis
Although the government presents these new measures as a comprehensive transformation to rescue food production, they still require approval from the Political Bureau and the National Assembly in July.
The announcement follows years of sustained agricultural decline, in a context where many of the hurdles identified by producers—such as lack of inputs, bureaucracy, commercial restrictions, and land limitations—remain directly tied to the state-run economic model.
Understanding Cuba's New Agricultural Measures
What are the main objectives of Cuba's new agricultural measures?
The main goals are to boost food production, decrease external food dependency, and enhance domestic agricultural productivity by providing greater autonomy to producers and easing access to essential resources.
How does the new land law affect Cuban farmers?
The new land law extends usufruct contracts up to 25 years, increases land limits for certain activities, but maintains restrictions on leasing and private ownership, limiting it to 67.10 hectares per person.
What challenges do Cuban farmers still face despite these measures?
Cuban farmers continue to struggle with shortages of supplies, bureaucratic obstacles, commercial restrictions, and limited landownership, all of which are deeply rooted in the state-controlled economic model.