Restoring Haiti's Farmland

More than 4,000 hectares of productive farmland are back in production. More than 4,000 hectares of productive farmland are back in production in Haiti with the assistance of the United States Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future. Ceremonies inaugurating the re-opening of the rehabilitated Riviere Blanche irrigation system were held August 7th in the outskirts of the rural town of Ganthier. Mr. Vernet Joseph, U.S. Secretary of State for Agriculture Renewal and Mr. Herbert Smith, U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] Acting Mission Director, were among the participants in this milestone event for Haitian agriculture. Built in the 1920s, the Rivière Blanche irrigation system lacked proper maintenance and previously operated at only ten percent of its capacity. Working in partnership with Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Feed the Future investments have helped the system return to one-hundred percent productive capacity, to the benefit of local farmers. In 2011, the U.S. government worked with the Ministry of Agriculture, the mayor and Ganthier area farmers to rehabilitate the left bank and right bank irrigation system. As a result of this work, farmers are now able to utilize the land for agricultural production, improving living conditions for farmers in the Cul-de-Sac corridor. Feed the Future, the platform that coordinates U.S. Government for agriculture and nutrition efforts in developing countries, is working with Haitian authorities to raise smallholders’ incomes by modernizing agriculture in rural areas. Through agricultural intensification, rehabilitation of rural infrastructure, and better management of natural resources, Feed the Future aims at improving the livelihoods and increase nutrition of smallholder farmers and their families. The United States is proud to work with the government of Haiti and other public and private sector partners to help restore, maintain and develop the country’s natural resources for the benefit of the people of Haiti. http://www.voanews.com/policy/editorials/Restoring-Haitis-Farmland--166611036.html