CATIE and Cuba sign agreement for the CIENPINOS Project

• The project has already been implemented since March when the workshops for the first component of Climate Governance began, which concluded last July.

August 9, 2023. Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and Luis Hernández, Director General of the Indio Hatuey Experimental Station of Pastures and Forages (EEPFIH), have signed the specific agreement for the CIENPINOS project, "Municipal Climate Governance and Sustainable Agroforestry Food Production with Low Emissions and Climate-Adapted in Cienfuegos and Pinar del Río in Cuba."

Through this agreement, all guidelines and commitments are established by both entities to ensure the effectiveness of the project.

CIENPINOS is being executed by CATIE and EEPFIH, with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (ASDI), and aims to contribute to the creation of necessary capacities for municipal climate management and the management of sustainable agroforestry systems that are low in emissions, climate-resilient, and biodiversity-conserving in the municipal governments of Cumanayagua, Abreus, Viñales, and La Palma.

It also involves the value chains of silvopastoral goats in the South Circuit of Cumanayagua, as well as grazing pigs in the pine-oak forests of Viñales. "We are very happy to achieve this agreement. The activities are progressing as planned, which is an indicator of the success we anticipate. We have received very good support from CATIE, and together we have always sought a solution to overcome each obstacle," commented Luis Hernández.

Muhammad Ibrahim also expressed his satisfaction that the project is progressing and took the opportunity to discuss further possible contributions CATIE can make to Cuba. "We have heard very positive feedback about the results that the CIENPINOS project is achieving and how it is involving different actors, from universities to local governments," said the Director General.

The signing of the agreement is taking place at this time due to technical reasons, however, the project has already been implemented since March when the first component of workshops started, concluding in July.

Present at the signing were Ismael Hernández, International Project Coordinator; Sofía Madrigal, Project Administrator; Tania Sánchez, National Project Director; and Giraldo Martín, Coordinator of Project Component #2.

Among the main results expected from the project is the generation of scientific knowledge applied to development, necessary for understanding the climate vulnerability of agricultural and forestry production and the greenhouse gas balance resulting from land-use dynamics. This new knowledge will be incorporated into municipal climate change strategies and territorial development plans of the four pilot municipalities.

The studies will be carried out by university students on topics such as: municipal-level climate change adaptation and mitigation; improvement of municipal development plans in their components of climate action, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agroforestry development; development of sustainable agroforestry systems based on goat production in silvopastoral systems; pig grazing in mixed pine and oak forests; integration of local producers, industrial processors, and local ecotourism entrepreneurs into inclusive and sustainable value chains; capacity building for youth, women, and local communities in the municipalities of Cumanayagua, Abreus, Viñales, and La Palma interested in the development of sustainable agricultural micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with low greenhouse gas emissions.

CIENPINOS is the first project implemented by CATIE in Cuba and has a local partner in EEPFIH. It relies on actors such as universities, specifically Municipal University Centers (CUM), the Center for Local and Community Development, municipal governments, as well as other scientific and research institutions.