Agricultural co-operatives in Canada and Cuba: trends, prospects and ways forward

Abstract

This concept paper builds on comparative work on sustainable agriculture in Canada and Cuba by exploring the role of agricultural co-operatives. Findings indicate that Canada and Cuba’s agricultural co-operatives face the challenges of membership renewal and economic presence in their national economies. The paper argues that components of each agricultural co-operative system at the farm and tertiary levels could be adapted to the other nation’s agricultural co-operatives in order to strengthen community control of local food systems. The paper further argues that a new approach to agricultural co-operatives must incorporate the state itself in any potential reform agenda in both countries. The paper calls for movement-to-movement contacts between the two countries, and the wider Americas.