Camalote Rural Development Project

Camalote Rural Development Project

IFAD approved this project in late 1980 and began financing it the following year in Cuba's central Camagüey Province. It was part of an investment programme implemented by the Cuban Government, with international financial support and technical assistance, to transform the agricultural production structure and raise living standards in rural Camalote township.

The project aimed to provide access to productivity-enhancing technologies for small-scale farmers organized into cooperatives. Project components included:

• Irrigation systems.
• Underground drainage.
• Agricultural research, credits and machinery.
• Improvements in water and electricity infrastructure.
• Training and technical assistance.

The initiative generated a number of lessons learned, such as the need to:

• Strengthen the management capacity of cooperatives.
• Ensure the provision of state and project resources to maintain investments in machinery and equipment.
• Take into account the social environment, recognizing different forms of land tenure and incentive schemes associated with them.
• Ensure sufficient and qualified staff for achieving project objectives.

Source: IFAD