Political and Economic Drivers of Rural Urban Migration and a Loss of Farming Culture in the Black Belt of Alabama and the Matanzas Province of Cuba

The Matanzas Province of Cuba and the Black Belt of Alabama share deep histories of farming; however, in both places the farming culture changed following major political events in each region. In Cuba, the rise of Fidel... [ view full abstract ]

The Matanzas Province of Cuba and the Black Belt of Alabama share deep histories of farming; however, in both places the farming culture changed following major political events in each region. In Cuba, the rise of Fidel Castro and subsequent aid to intensify agriculture, followed by the fall of the Soviet Union, dramatically affected farming throughout the Matanzas Province. In the Black Belt of Alabama farming changed drastically after World War II and led to rural to urban movement. Both regions saw the loss of farms throughout the later half of the twentieth century and in response, adaptation through new types of land-use: ecological management farming in Cuba and catfish farming and the timber industry in Alabama. In both regions, cash crop agriculture has been lost; while, new cultures are being rebuilt by new industry. Although adaptation to the loss of traditional farming has produced different economic trajectories, these alternative enterprises do not adequately address the challenge posed by significant rural to urban migration in each place. This study explored the political and economic drivers of rural to urban migration and subsequent loss of farming culture in Alabama’s Black Belt and the Matanzas Province of Cuba through field interviews. A population decrease in Alabama’s Black Belt was due primarily to WWII, which offered new opportunities for earning a livelihood in industry off of the farm. In the Matanzas Province of Cuba, the movement was primarily prompted by political factors; however, the currently the Cuban government encourages its citizens to move back to rural areas to use unused land to provide much needed fresh produce for the country. The studies in these places demonstrate a problem common to many rural areas throughout the world that continue to experience sharp declines in rural population and a loss of an agrarian way of life.