Impact of participatory plant breeding of bean on the western agricultural cooperatives of Cuba

Main Article Content

R. Ortiz

Abstract

The current plant breeding challenge is aimed at
strengthening varietal flow in a national agriculture with more
diverse, decentralized and low-input agrochemical productive
systems. Farmers´ active participation in seed selection,
experimentation, multiplication and preservation is a viable
alternative to increase yields based on a greater varietal
diversification. Producers´ varietal selection also strengthens
its adaptation to the environmental and socioeconomic
conditions of the productive systems of Cuba. Farmers from
several agricultural productive cooperatives of Havana
developed spontaneity and creativity after they have
participated in the agrobiodiversity fairs of beans, celebrated
at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA), which
proved their appropriate selection of the best genotypes for
sustainability conditions. Results of some study cases are
presented here, that also confirm how positive participatory
plant breeding (PPB) is related to the diversity fair held in 2001
and the further farm experimentation with higher results in
bean diversity and production, besides evaluating PPB
sustainability after six years of study in cooperatives.

Article Details

How to Cite
Ortiz, R. (2012). Impact of participatory plant breeding of bean on the western agricultural cooperatives of Cuba. Cultivos Tropicales, 29(1), 11–16. Retrieved from https://ediciones.inca.edu.cu/index.php/ediciones/article/view/272
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Original Article