June 15 -30, 2020 Biaanual ACTAF Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Encuentro in Havana. Cuba

June 15-30, 2020 Biaanual ACTAF Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Encuentro in Havana. Cuba

June  15-30 2020 Biaanual ACTAF Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Encuentro in Havana, Cuba. ACTAF is Cuba's official government agroecology, urban agriculture  organization.  This is my favorite Cuban sustainable agriculture event for its comprehensiveness, organization, short course and tour. Announcement below will soon be available in English. 

Register early!!!!!! Two years ago they required USA Citizens to register three months in advance. Here is the possible registration email: encuentro2020@actaf.co.cu.  But for sure the authentic registration email will be available at least three months before the event begins.  Check back here for updates!!!!

The amazing Vermont Caribbean Institute http://www.vtcaribbean.org/ and Cuba-USA Agroecology Network http://www.agroecologynetwork.org/  headed by the equally amazing Dra Margarita Fernandez may have more information about this event and/or even be handling US citizen registration for this event in the near future and may be taking a group. Please check with them for more information and help in attending this event. 

Please join our ever growing (1200 now)  and ever more lively, bilingual facebook group: The Cuba-USA Agroecology/Agroecoloiga Solidarity Group  for the latest on Cuba's agroecological movement,  to share directly with colleagues in Cuba and around the world, and for all the opportunities to visit and exchange with  Cubans doing this work, farmers, growers and others.  You can share your growing work here as well. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CubanSustainableAgriculture/?ref=bookmarks

And finally, contact Marazul Travel if you would like help planning your travel to Cuba! They have been assisting people like me for more than 30 years to travel legally to Cuba! You can count on them to advise you properly!!!https://marazul.com/

You don't have to buy your ticket from them; it might be more economical to buy your ticket directly from an airline like Delta on line!!!!  They will also sell you right at the airport: the visa for Cuba (about 25$) and medical insurance, (good for 30 days) After a month in Cuba, you will have to go to Cuban immigration to extend  your visa if you would like to stay one more month.

The limit for most Americans on a tourist visa in Cuba  is two months total in Cuba. After that you have to leave the country! But you can come back after about a couple of  days being out of the country.. There are taxis and a legal place to change your money at the airport in Cuba.

Have the address where you are going ready to show the taxi driver. The cost to most places in Havana is about  $25-30 CUC.  (1 CUC is about 90-92 cents depending on where you buy it! It doesn't really pay  to change your US dollars into foreign currency in the US; I have tried it! It doesn't work because of the fees US agencies charge to change your US dollars, so just take your USA dollars unless you can change them in Mexico or another foreign country for very little extra cost and at an advantageous rate )

This work is a project of the AMAZING Family Farm Defenders!!!!! http://familyfarmers.org/ led by the truly grassroots and amazing leadership of John Peck. Family farmers, where family members form the workforce, growing agroecologically and locally are the backbone of the sustainable and Food Sovereignty food system for humanity, says the United Nations and many others. Please support, join or start a chapter of FFD in your state. 

Revisit us for  updates!!!!

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525481648273692&set=a.124035535084974&type=3&eid=ARDq7K9ds5eaWo5FPhpCc3usuISuT1WCot1GitPwUxT05bstDKJPRwLymFBQL0zmEkPxvmXJOarpAAkjThe Vermont Caribbean Institute may have more information about this event in the near future. http://www.vtcaribbean.org/
 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525481648273692&set=a.124035535084974&type=3&eid=ARDq7K9ds5eaWo5FPhpCc3usuISuT1WCot1GitPwUxT05bstDKJPRwLymFBQL0zmEkPxvmXJOarpAAkj@actaf.co.cu