Agrarian Reform

The Agrarian Reform land reform is in it's most crucial state currently as most of the remaining lands still are to be distributed and are private and contentious agricultural lands. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) hopes to have the land distribution completed by 2008. The following is a copy of the DAR Mission:

• The DAR shall lead in the effective implementation and management of land reform in the country through:
• Land tenure improvement and security, and provision of integrated development services to landless farmers, farm workers, small landowner-cultivators.
• Titling, recognition and development of ancestral domains, and culture-based sustainable development of indigenous communities and people.
  
• Provision of security of tenure and social preparation for access to and use of lands to urban poor.

The first Agrarian Reform law was created in 1959 and called for profit sharing among farms and the division of unused lands. Most of these lands belonged to the U.S. shareholders and the government demanded compensation for all of this nationalized lands. But other than the U.S. opposition the Cuban people greatly agreed with the Agrarian Reform. The Agrarian Reform had certain limitations including: Limited landholdings to 993 acres, expropriated Latifunda, distributed expropriated land to peasants, and nationalized cattle ranches.