(CNN) -- Since the revolution in 1959 Cuba has been many things to many people, but the collapse of the Soviet Union meant few have seen the island state as a vision of the future.



But that could be changing -- at least in one aspect.



Cuba experienced a reordering of its food production in the early 1990's. A boom for organic foods, but problems persist.



As worries grow in developed nations about a future without plentiful supplies of oil, the communist republic is proving to be an increasingly popular example of how to cope when the spigots run dry, for the simple reason: they've already been there.



With the loss of supplies from oil-rich Russia in 1991, and a U.S. embargo preventing imports from elsewhere, Cuba was plunged into a severe recession in the early 1990's, referred to as "the Special Period."



Suddenly society was faced with dramatically reduced amounts of hydrocarbon energy, and the result was a fundamental reorganization of food production, leading to a boom in urban organic agriculture, which requires fewer inputs than conventional farming.



Despite the increase in organic production, problems remain for Cuba's agricultural system and ability to feed itself with local produce.



"Some estimates of the amount of food imports in Cuba go as high as 80 percent of domestic consumption," says CNN's Havana Bureau Chief, Morgan Neill. "This isn't to say that small scale organic farmers couldn't learn for isolated growers, but Cuba's overall agriculture is one of the government's biggest problems."



Cuba's organic example, however, has been a source for inspiration for many outside of the country, such as the UK-based Cuban Organic Solidarity Group (COSG).



"With the collapse of the Soviet Union Cuba was in a position where no-one thought it would survive -- they lost 80 percent of their trade overnight," says Wendy Emmett of COSG.



"As a result the priority given to food changed, and it was immediately seen as much more important."



All over Havana small-scale organic gardens were started on roof-tops, backyards and in empty parking lots, spreading rapidly to other cities and urban centers.



Farmer's markets known as "Kiosks" sprang up providing city-dwellers with access to locally-grown fruit and vegetables, cutting the use of oil in transporting food in from the countryside.



In the countryside, oxen and horses replaced tractors. Manual labor replaced machines. A huge program of land re-distribution was instigated. Many of the vast collective farms beloved by communist planners started to look inefficient, and so were broken up into units more manageable without fleets of tractors.



The process is still ongoing. In February 2009 the Cuban authorities announced that 1,827 square miles of state land would be given to Cubans with agricultural experience or other citizens.



But this change wasn't easy. Prior to the "Special Period" Cuba had been a heavy user of oil-based chemical fertilizers, and much of the land was heavily degraded, requiring years of careful manuring to restore fertility. However, despite the obstacles, they did it.



"I was there in 1992, which was one of the most difficult years, and certainly people were moaning a lot, but they worked together, they still kept the milk coming for the schoolchildren," says Emmett.



"Throughout it all they didn't close any hospitals, they didn't close any schools; they kept going against the odds. In many ways they show us what is possible, what a community can achieve when they work together; the power of co-operation."



A blue-print to cope with problems post-peak oil?



Of course a powerful authoritarian state and strong central planning made such huge changes easier to implement; a similar process of development might be very different, and possibly lees successful, in the West.



But as an increasing number of people believe we will soon face a major social and economic crisis as oil supplies dwindle over coming decades, many believe we have a lot to learn from the
( CNN ) -- Since the revolution in 1959 Cuba has been many things to many people , but the collapse of the Soviet Union meant few have seen the island state as a vision of the future . But that could be changing -- at least in one aspect . Cuba experienced a reordering of its food production in the early 1990 's . A boom for organic foods , but problems persist . As worries grow in developed nations about a future without plentiful supplies of oil , the communist republic is proving to be an increasingly popular example of how to cope when the spigots run dry , for the simple reason : they 've already been there . With the loss of supplies from oil - rich Russia in 1991 , and a U.S. embargo preventing imports from elsewhere , Cuba was plunged into a severe recession in the early 1990 's , referred to as " the Special Period . " Suddenly society was faced with dramatically reduced amounts of hydrocarbon energy , and the result was a fundamental reorganization of food production , leading to a boom in urban organic agriculture , which requires fewer inputs than conventional farming . Despite the increase in organic production , problems remain for Cuba 's agricultural system and ability to feed itself with local produce . " Some estimates of the amount of food imports in Cuba go as high as 80 percent of domestic consumption , " says CNN 's Havana Bureau Chief , Morgan Neill . " This is n't to say that small scale organic farmers could n't learn for isolated growers , but Cuba 's overall agriculture is one of the government 's biggest problems . " Cuba 's organic example , however , has been a source for inspiration for many outside of the country , such as the UK - based Cuban Organic Solidarity Group ( COSG ) . " With the collapse of the Soviet Union Cuba was in a position where no - one thought it would survive -- they lost 80 percent of their trade overnight , " says Wendy Emmett of COSG . " As a result the priority given to food changed , and it was immediately seen as much more important . " All over Havana small - scale organic gardens were started on roof - tops , backyards and in empty parking lots , spreading rapidly to other cities and urban centers . Farmer 's markets known as " Kiosks " sprang up providing city - dwellers with access to locally - grown fruit and vegetables , cutting the use of oil in transporting food in from the countryside . In the countryside , oxen and horses replaced tractors . Manual labor replaced machines . A huge program of land re - distribution was instigated . Many of the vast collective farms beloved by communist planners started to look inefficient , and so were broken up into units more manageable without fleets of tractors . The process is still ongoing . In February 2009 the Cuban authorities announced that 1,827 square miles of state land would be given to Cubans with agricultural experience or other citizens . But this change was n't easy . Prior to the " Special Period " Cuba had been a heavy user of oil - based chemical fertilizers , and much of the land was heavily degraded , requiring years of careful manuring to restore fertility . However , despite the obstacles , they did it . " I was there in 1992 , which was one of the most difficult years , and certainly people were moaning a lot , but they worked together , they still kept the milk coming for the schoolchildren , " says Emmett . " Throughout it all they did n't close any hospitals , they did n't close any schools ; they kept going against the odds . In many ways they show us what is possible , what a community can achieve when they work together ; the power of co - operation . " A blue - print to cope with problems post - peak oil ? Of course a powerful authoritarian state and strong central planning made such huge changes easier to implement ; a similar process of development might be very different , and possibly lees successful , in the West . But as an increasing number of people believe we will soon face a major social and economic crisis as oil supplies dwindle over coming decades , many believe we have a lot to learn from the
What kind of farming was implemented?
What kind of farming was implemented ?
urban organic agriculture,
urban organic agriculture,