Omar Montero has always had a particular understanding of the land. Perhaps he inherited his knowledge from his ancestors or it is just, as he assures the commitment that every man has to extract from nature the necessary goods to provide for his family and have a full existence. The truth is that this farmer has poured all his ingenuity into his work in the fields and his yard has been considered of national excellence.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- The 60-year-old farmer did not inherit his farm. He came to these lands only with the will to produce food and the commitment to do it in the best possible way. Today he recalls that the place looked very different, the house was old, the yard was neglected, and those obstacles were the incentive to move forward and challenge the climate if necessary.

From the comfort of his home, with his eyes always attentive to the destinies of his nursery that has already become famous in Las Tunas, Omar tells 26 about the projects that now keep him awake at night and drive him to get out of bed very early, with his optimism focused on success.

"I work with fruit trees. Right now I have dwarf guava, Persian and Creole lemons, and a new variety of cherry. I also have more than 20 thousand coffee seeds, because I have decided to contribute to the production of this crop in my province. I have an agreement to produce more than 100 coffee plants for this year, but on my own, I have gone ahead and I hope to have close to 30 thousand soon.

"In this farm, we take advantage of everything. I recycle the waste, I make compost. In fact, I sell the worms. I prepare my own substrate, with which the plants grow healthy and vigorous. I can't complain about the results, since I put the knowledge of science and technique into this equation my soil enjoys excellent conditions.

"It was in the back of my mind to start an automated irrigation system, and I finally succeeded. It took me a while to invent it. The machine is designed to deliver the right amount of water to the plants, depending on the relative humidity, temperature, and air. In this way, I save the liquid because sometimes what the plants need is 10 to 15 seconds of water.

"I produce between eight and 10 thousand plants every month that are staying in Las Tunas, and I am very happy about that, although my ultimate goal is that those seedlings become trees and their fruits reach the families.

Recently, a new project has occupied Omar. The producer, associated with the credit and services cooperative (CCS) Omar Pérez, built some pools for the breeding of ornamental fish. He assures that the investment was substantial, but he has always wanted to diversify his endeavors. Today, his ponds exhibit green swordtail, bard fish, and other species that have come to his attention.

"Ever since I heard about aquaculture, I wanted to be part of the project. So I didn't think too much about it and put some tambaquis next to the ornamental fish. As they are not carnivorous, they coexist very peacefully. These little animals are like the pigs in my house, I throw them all the food waste, food husks, and whatever else I can find. They are a very grateful species, they gain weight very quickly like tench and tilapia."

"Concerning the tambaquis and together with the fishing company, we want them to spawn here, something that is not yet done in the country. We are preparing to face the challenge, but I like to think that it will be possible and that this will only be the beginning of what aquaculture can achieve on Las Tunas' soil."

Omar has demonstrated that perseverance and ingenuity are an infallible formula for any producer. He confesses that he does not like to be pigeonholed in a single activity and wants his farm to continue growing, not only for its own benefits but also as a kind of teaching for those young people who can find in the land the prosperity they long for.