Land preparation for the spring planting season will be possible thanks to a US$500,000 fund created by the Governments of Brazil and the United States of America, with each contributing half. The funds will also be used to purchase fertilizer and seeds.

The goal is to reinitiate agricultural activity as soon as possible, in order to produce food for the Haitian population and generate employment for rural inhabitants and those city dwellers who were forced to flee to rural areas following the quake.

The March planting season is the most important of the year, accounting for more than 60% of agricultural production in the country.

In Costa Rica, where IICA has its Headquarters, the Director of Regional Operations and Integration, Victor del Angel, said that the Institute is working against the clock because planting must begin sooner than later. Otherwise, the approaching rainy season will make land preparation activities much more difficult.

Del Angel explained that this initiative will benefit some 12,000 farmers and focus on 6,000 hectares of land identified by the Ministry of Agriculture as priority. Special attention will be paid to the needs of rural woman, who, it is hoped, will occupy30% of the jobs expected to be created.

He added that the work with the tractors will be performed jointly by Dominican and Haitian operators, the idea being that the Haitians begin to work their lands as soon as possible. He also explained that IICA will participate in a rural development program supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which will earmark US$2.5 million for initiatives in the area of Nieppe, in southeast Haiti.

“It is the poorest region of the poorest country in the Americas,” he said, adding that IICA will help execute the program, which is aimed at ensuring food security and supporting the creation of jobs in the area.

More information
victor.delangel@iica.int