By María Josefina Arce

Food production still does not reach the required levels in the country, affecting the well-being of the population.  Hence, it is one of the topics that is being analyzed with a critical eye at the Eighth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, which meets in Havana for two days.s.

This is an issue on which the country's leadership has repeatedly insisted, and to which it has paid special attention, aware of its impact on the daily lives of Cubans.

The authorities have adopted various measures to eliminate the obstacles that slow down agricultural progress and food production; However, the levels required to satisfy internal demand and reduce prices have not yet been reached.

The check of the productive processes in the territories is constant. Therefore, it has been a priority in the different visits that the party organization has made at the highest level to the various municipalities of the country.

During these tours, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the Republic, Miguel Díaz Canel, has reiterated the need to look for alternatives and, without ignoring the existing experience, achieve greater introduction in the field and in the industry. of the achievements of science and innovation.

It is an urgent need given the complex economic situation that the nation is experiencing, given the reinforcement of the North American blockade and the arbitrary inclusion of Cuba on the list of countries supposedly sponsoring terrorism.

Agriculture is one of the sectors that is hit hard by the economic siege, which hinders the acquisition of inputs, equipment and financing. Only between March 2022 and February 2023 the damages were estimated at more than 273 million dollars.

Given this critical panorama and in order to respond to the demands of the population, Díaz Canel has called to multiply the good examples that exist throughout the country, and achieve adequate integration between all economic actors that favor agri-food systems. local.

He precisely insists on taking advantage of all the existing potential in the territories, on optimal use of the land, on the increase in planted areas, on efficient management of the workforce and greater control to avoid violations and cases of corruption.

Cuba is called to substitute imports, to achieve food sovereignty with its own efforts. This is an issue permanently included on the agenda of the country's highest leadership, but it concerns everyone.