Cuban researchers are currently developing crops which are adapted to climate change. The National Institute for Basic Research in Tropical Agriculture (INIFAT), a government institution, has been investigating over 30 species of vegetable, including cabbages, tomatoes and cucumbers, in order to breed resilient varieties that can cope with tropical conditions. Development of resistant varieties can take up to 15 years, depending on the vegetable. According to INIFAT researcher, Laura Muñoz, the targeted characteristics of the new plants are “growth, resistance and vitality”. The researchers have already obtained varieties which are more resistant to pests and droughts, and which can be cultivated outside the normal planting season. INIFAT also supports the development of urban farming on the island. Almost 45% of the fresh vegetables in Cuba derive from urban and suburban agriculture, a form of production which has evolved in recent years following national efforts to promote sustainable and agro-ecological agriculture, and become less dependent on food imports. These urban crops are known as ‘organoponic’ - a term for organic production in reduced spaces. One success of INIFAT is a drought-resistant cabbage variety called ‘Marien’, which took 12 years to be developed and is now used for urban gardening. It is the first cabbage species which produces seeds. In the past, Cuba had to import five tons of cabbage seed annually, but in 2011, a ton of Marien seeds were produced and exchanged.