The Cuban Council of Ministers has sanctioned Agreement 10445, initiating a new Economic Inclusion Program designed to provide small-scale tools, equipment, and supplies to individuals living in households suffering from compounded deprivations in health, education, employment, housing, and nutrition.
This decision, signed by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz on September 18th, was officially published in the Ordinary Official Gazette No. 88 of 2026, spanning pages 12 to 18.
Strengthening Social Protection and Economic Empowerment
Outlined in the first article of the agreement, the initiative aims to "enhance the social protection system, promote economic autonomy, create sustainable employment and income opportunities, and reduce multidimensional vulnerability among individuals and households through the provision of small-scale productive assets."
The agreement categorizes these assets as "tools, utensils, lightweight machinery, inputs, or equipment that are cost-effective to purchase and maintain," suitable for individual, family, or associative management, and divides them into four distinct categories.
Categories of Productive Assets
The first category includes agricultural and agroecological inputs: farming implements, small-scale irrigation systems, seeds, modules for small livestock, and breeding stock for poultry, rabbits, sheep, and goats.
The second category focuses on equipment for artisanal and service trades: carpentry, masonry, sewing, shoemaking, hairdressing, gastronomy, plumbing, community laundries, and vehicle repair.
The third category encompasses low-energy digital and technological equipment for community services, administrative management, printing, basic advertising design, and repair of cell phones and microelectronics.
A fourth category remains open for "other" assets depending on the specific needs of each territory.
Eligibility and Implementation Requirements
Assets will be provided through a loan-for-use agreement, and eligibility for the program requires meeting three conditions: residing in a household identified as multidimensionally vulnerable, being of working age with physical and mental capability, and agreeing to comply with an Economic Inclusion Plan—an individualized tool detailing the beneficiary's capacity assessment, the activity to be undertaken, and the asset assigned.
The agreement prioritizes five groups: caregivers who can balance their duties with economic activities; women with minor dependents and low income; youth aged 18 to 30 disconnected from education and work; individuals with disabilities who have work capabilities; and those in informal situations.
Program Coordination and Application Process
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), municipal and provincial administrations of the People's Power, social workers, economic actors from various management forms, and training centers will coordinate the program. Interested parties may submit applications voluntarily to municipal Labor and Social Security offices.
Agreement 10445 updates and formalizes a mechanism previously outlined in Agreement 9152 of August 2021, which allowed municipal administrative councils to distribute productive assets to vulnerable individuals for inclusion in non-state employment but lacked the eligibility criteria and asset categories now established by the new regulation.
Additionally, Gazette No. 88 published Decree-Law 136/2026 by the Council of State on strengthening social work and Agreement 10463, which creates a labor training program for youth aged 18 to 30 with courses ranging from one to six months and a monthly income of 3,210 pesos, thus forming a comprehensive normative package of social policy.
Agreement 10445 is part of the 176 economic and social transformations introduced by the Cuban government in June 2026, which aim to gradually replace universal subsidies with targeted aid for vulnerable individuals and families. Official data from October 2026 indicates that 883,000 people receive monthly food distribution due to being in a heightened state of vulnerability.
FAQ: Economic Inclusion Program in Cuba
What is the purpose of Cuba's Economic Inclusion Program?
The program aims to enhance social protection, promote economic independence, and create sustainable jobs and income opportunities for vulnerable individuals by providing small-scale productive assets.
Who is eligible for the Economic Inclusion Program?
Eligibility requires living in a household identified as multidimensionally vulnerable, being of working age with physical and mental capability, and agreeing to fulfill an Economic Inclusion Plan.
What types of assets are provided under the program?
The program provides agricultural inputs, artisanal and service trade equipment, low-energy digital technology, and other assets tailored to territorial needs.