Las Tunas.– Facing the dark-coated pigs he carefully raises, Eduardo Abreu Peña reflects on how much they have changed over time. He sees them as beautiful and lively. In fact, the sows have had good litters.
This didn’t happen before, but this farmer from the municipality of Jesús Menéndez, in the province of Las Tunas, decided to plant some oilseed plants on his lands in San Juan, and today he eagerly shares recommendations with other producers because the benefits are many.
Together with his wife, Luisa Ruz Fuentes, they are pioneers in the territorial project financed by CITMA, “Production of Oilseed Plants to Support the Implementation of the Law on Food Sovereignty and Security,” and they have no regrets because expectations were surpassed by reality.
This is a program that began in July 2024 and is coordinated by Dr. Raquel Ruz Reyes, a professor and researcher at the Center for Agrarian Development Studies of the University of Las Tunas.
Its main objective is to produce oils intended for human consumption; however, it is also very valuable for animal feed, as the by-products provide numerous nutrients in the diets of pigs and poultry, primarily.
This is what Eduardo and Luisa do, having cultivated the four species under study—soybean, corn, sesame, and sunflower—and evaluated them through diversity fairs alongside producers, researchers, and undergraduate and graduate students from the Municipal University Center, among other stakeholders.
Results are also shown by Moisés Mora Sicilia, from Puerto Padre; Kilmer Santiesteban Domínguez, from Majibacoa; and some producers from Jobabo and Las Tunas, since five municipalities have been incorporated into the project. One standout collective is the Diego Felipe Basic Cooperative Production Unit, which already produces oil from processed sesame.
“We incorporated ten farmers from each territory and have supported them with seeds and training materials, as well as the continuous guidance of specialists, because they help evaluate the different cultivars,” explains Ruz Reyes.
He added that these species adapt very well to the drought conditions characteristic of the eight municipalities of Las Tunas, making it possible to increase the plantations of these crops, especially sesame and sunflower.
"I believe that greater production of these crops can be achieved with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Association of Small Farmers, the University itself, as well as the Party and the Government.
"Producing our own oil is an achievable dream. It is a way to be sovereign and to lower those prices that harm us so much.
"The increased production of these crops will be realized when we have the equipment to extract the oil, and for that, we are seeking funding from external sources to purchase that technology and promote the project," he concluded.
The territorial delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture (Minag), for its part, is evaluating the areas that can be incorporated into the planting of oilseed crops, aware that there are already very good experiences in the Las Tunas territory.
According to Luis Oro Torres, head of the Department of Various Crops, the increase would be carried out gradually, because it is an excellent option to obtain edible oil, and it can consolidate food sovereignty and food and nutritional security.
In addition to Minag, entities from the sugar group Azcuba are joining, accumulating experience in the planting of sesame and possessing the required technology for oil extraction. They also make use of the remaining cake for animal nutrition.
The idea is to involve other farmers to simultaneously promote the production of eggs and meat.
These species adapt well to the low-productivity soils typical of this eastern region and are resistant to pests and diseases, which are other reasons to multiply commitments, seeds, seedlings, plantations, and harvests.
