Agriculture, a necessity for the development of Haiti’s economy

Jean Samuel Alteus is preparing seed beds in the mountains of Grande'Anse together with Jean Fenel who is also a member of OJPDD - Organization des Jeunes Progressistes pour le Development de Duchity, a movement of young adults working in ecological sanitation and gardens.

Jean Samuel Alteus

As all the other international communities know, the agriculture holds an important place in the history of the world, in as much as it leaves its mark on all aspects of daily life.

In Haiti, cultivatable lands have developed at different ecological levels and have been poorly managed. Farming up in the mountains has become a necessity even though in much of the world it may not be common practice. Furthermore, the plains which should be dedicated to agricultural use have become the preferred place to construct buildings. Together this situation leads to no hope for Haitian agriculture. However, if you take into account the fertility of Haitian soils, the cultivation of different species that are indigenous to tropical countries, water availability and Haiti’s micro-climate, all of these elements prove that possibilities are favorable for Haiti to profit from the opportunities before our eyes.

In the eyes of the international community, Haiti appears defeated with bad practices and a vicious cycle of poor development. The Minister of Agriculture always decides too late and does not allocate resources to the peasants who have a passion for agriculture. Without this investment, crop yields do not produce profit or provide economic growth.

There are serious obstacles to Haitian agricultural development, in spite of all the international conferences at which the sponsors met to discuss the crisis in Haiti. The situation remains stagnant, with the population criticizing the government including the agronomists in a variety of cabinet positions who nevertheless do not take decisions that benefit the vulnerable farmers in the rural areas.

The agricultural policy of a country depends upon the government, and especially the Ministry of Agriculture. This entity should develop a production strategy that benefits the farmers, one that promotes food safety and adequate production to protect against famine and extreme poverty. However, the small producers in the rural areas are always the last to benefit. They have no rights to the funds distributed for agricultural production, no support structures, no agricultural credit banks, and no subsidies. The funds are sometimes given to other uses having nothing to do with agriculture.
The distribution of agricultural products to the small farmers in the rural areas is always insignificant, and the distribution of seeds is always done out of season. The farmers still plant, even in precarious situations, but the harvest is not guaranteed because of natural catastrophes such as rains and hurricanes. In a good spring the small farmers try again, showing their good will and desire to fight their poverty.

In the days following January 12, 2010, the whole world hoped for a new Haiti. The earthquake upset everything – all the state institutions are destroyed and need to be rebuilt. However, the building that houses the Ministry of Agriculture still stands. Perhaps the Minister could learn and build an agricultural policy which would work towards the economic growth of the country, which did not exist before.

After the earthquake it is necessary to create new priorities. It is necessary to invest in agriculture. We must devote a large part of the available funding from the emergency aid to short, medium and long-term programs. Coalitions that have formed to write a reconstruction plan should prepare a document and present their case to the national and international leadership. The government must agree to invest in the agricultural sector to benefit the entire nation.

In must be emphasized that the food grown in the remote zones does not have a way to reach markets. The infrastructure of roads must be improved to bring goods to their destination. The Haitian government must also make this a priority. When President Preval visited the South Department on March 5, after the flooding of Les Cayes and other towns, he emphasized decentralization and the importance of roads to transport goods to and from the countryside, and as an important guarantee to foreign investors. This construction must happen in all 10 departments.

President Preval stated that ”Decentralization at this time is therefore the most important priority of the Haitian state.” This must be proven for all aspects of national life, including education, agriculture, health, justice and infrastructure.

The Haitian Diaspora must take into account the failure of the Haitian leaders. It is recommended that the Diaspora find ways to put its resources to work and to transmit them using technology that will benefit the young generation of managers who are capable of contributing to innovation in agricultural technology but who are currently lagging behind. Haiti could be in the forefront of development if the means were made available.

Jean Samuel Alteus is 33 years old. He went to school with Franci Polyte, the coordinator of OJPDD, who first approached him in the summer of 2008 to work with OJPDD in their projects of ecological sanitation and gardens. For the first year and a half, he visited the village almost weekly, volunteering his time to teach and guide local young people in the principles of organic gardening. Finally, YOUTHAITI raised enough funds to provide him with a salary. Alteus helps teach agricultural planning and principles of agro-ecology. 

Alteus has a long background of activism in his community. He is also the founder of GRAPE, another organization of young adults who work to help disadvantaged children in the town of Camp Perrin. In Haiti it is not unusual for activists to be involved in multiple organizations, and helping in any way they can.