Artemisa, Cuba - The 7th International Meeting of Agroecology, Sustainable Agriculture and Cooperativism, held in the municipality of Güira de Melena in the province of Artemisa, saw the participation of over 200 delegates from 31 countries, and concluded here on Sunday with the consensus that agroecology is the shortest path to achieve food sovereignty.

In the Final Declaration of the event, participants agreed that food sovereignty is a way to counteract the current economic and social crisis caused by prevailing neo-liberal and consumerist models.

The event, which met for a week in this province, was characterized by workshops, exchanges of experiences and field visits, which offered the opportunity to discus various issues, mainly related to organic farming.

In summing up the forum, the President of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP) of Cuba, Rafael Santiesteban, highlighted the participation of young people and women in rural development, food sovereignty and the processes of agroecological training and promotion.

He pointed out that neoliberal policies encourage the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, monoculture, land grabbing, large estates and damage to nature, among other practices.

He contrasted that in Cuba the agroecological 'De Campesino a Campesino' movement advances, while working so that the agricultural system receives in each productive cycle the sustainable practical improvements of local traditional agriculture.