Osmel Pérez and his reasons for making the land produce

Osmel Pérez Sanabria is a farmer from Taguasco municipality in Sancti Spíritus province who is 60 years old and with the most authentic farming traditions to defends over 50 hectares with high yields of tobacco, livestock, and various other crops.

“This is my life. I still feel young and can continue contributing to agriculture, the countryside, and the state. I was born here, I spent my youth here, and I will be here until death takes me. I inherited this land from my great-grandfather, and later I obtained a usufruct agreement, which has allowed me to maintain the tradition of tobacco farming, animal husbandry, and all kinds of products. This farm is diversified, so this is my world. I leave for a day and come right back; this is where I like to be.”

How much of the Canarian tradition is reflected in your farming practices?

“A lot, a lot. All my roots are Canarian; I learned almost everything from them. They are dedicated, very serious people. Despite having little formal education, they became almost like agricultural engineers because they knew how to work the land. They taught me things from a young age that have been very beneficial throughout my life and remain relevant. I owe being a good farmer to them. To live better, I like diversity. I grow tobacco, I have good livestock, and all kinds of crops. The economy needs everything; I’m not going to be here to live poorly.”

Osmel feels a healthy pride in belonging to the farming movement that provides the majority of the nation’s food.

“It’s very important; we have a tremendous responsibility to fulfill for the benefit of all of society. Our contribution is crucial, but those who produce must be freed from pressure, non-payment, and excessive red tape. It shouldn’t be like this because to perform any job in any profession, one should feel good, happy, and in good spirits, and things that aren’t right keep happening. Farmers need more attention; they need to be freed from excessive bureaucratic procedures. If you’re a farmer, you should be working the land; a company director should be there, a hospital director, too, so that the business can function properly. When you have to deal with twenty separate procedures, you miss out on production. A particularly complicated issue is the legal burden you bear. These things need to be streamlined.”