After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Cuban agricultural sector faced a very difficult period. Cuba had to rely on sustainable farming methods. Agricultural production fell by 54% between 1989 and 1994. The government aimed to strengthen agricultural biodiversity by making a greater range of varieties of seed available to farmers. In the 1990s, the government prioritized food production and put focus on small farmers. From 1994, it allowed farmers to sell their surplus product directly to the population. This was the first move to lift the state's monopoly on food distribution. Due to the shortage in artificial fertilizers and pesticides, Cuba's agricultural sector largely turned organic, with the organopónicos playing a major role in this transition.