Mountain Partnership

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Cuba

Mountains cover 16% of the territory of Cuba and are grouped into four ranges (Macizo Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa, Sierra Maestra, Macizo Guamuhaya and Cordillera de Guaniguanico), of which 10% is cultivated for agriculture and 43% is forested. Roughly 7% of the population lives in these mountain areas and 70% of the rivers of Cuba have their sources in the mountains. These areas are extremely rich in biodiversity.

The country recognises that issues related to mountain development need to be confronted, such as providing social and economic support to mountain communities, tackling poverty, food insecurity and health problems of mountain inhabitants as well as ensuring conservation of biodiversity and good watershed management, and combating the effects of pollution.

In 1987 a National Commission was set up to address economic, social and environmental mountain issues and to include a national reforestation programme. This Commission formulated the Turquino-Manati Plan which continues to be implemented (the Plan Turquino focusses on the mountainous massifs, while the Plan Manati is devoted to reforestation throughout all the country's provinces. An annual plan for sustainable mountain development has also been developed since 2001. More recently, the Proposal for a Differentiated Plan for Mountain Economy has involved gathering data on production, infrastructures, living conditions and scientific and technological innovations applicable to all mountainous areas.

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