Measuring the contribution of the bioeconomy in Latin America: the case of Cuba

Abstract

This research represents a first approach of the bioeconomy contribution in Cuba from an economic perspective. The results are related to the Iberoamerican Network on Bioeconomy and Climate Change, financed by the CYTED program. The data used were taken mostly from the Statistical Yearbook of Cuba and from time series or special reports from the National Bureau of Statistics and Information (ONEI), where the country´s official statistics are collected. The base year employed on the analysis was 1997; which is to date the official reference on the National Accounts System. However, given the need to change the base year in shorts periods of time, it is known that it is still under a changing process. This first approach shows a very low contribution of the bioeconomy in Cuba, for an average of 4%, a figure that could rise much more if a more detail statistical information arises at the National Accounts System level. Among the factors that condition this low contribution, we can find the structural problems in the economy, such as the monetary duality circulation, price distortions, subsidies to production in the agricultural sector, and others.