Food Production

In 2007, we successfully introduced the drip /bucket irrigation system to family households and the high school, to enable them to grow vegetables during dry season. More drip irrigation equipment was distributed to a group of farmers in preparation for the 2010 crop season.

In the backdrop of recent hunger riots in many towns of Haiti, we felt compelled to expand the goal of our efforts to include food production throughout the year, i.e. to promote self-help projects in crop and animal production. That way, the outcome of our efforts will be more sustainable.

With limited resources they acquired lands near a water source, bought a water pump and PCV pipes for irrigation when needed. Money was lent to farmers to buy seeds and fertilizers. We higher an Agricultural Technician to train farmers and students. It was our hope to increase food production in the parish, curtail hunger and reduce children malnutrition.

In School: A kitchen was built at the school and a school lunch program was instituted. The cost to provide hot lunch to one student was $102/school year. But we needed to raise 50% of the cost to make the lunch program sustainable.

To provide in kind contribution to the lunch program, we got enriched rice (ER) from an organization in GA (Feed My Starving Children) and with the assistance of Food for the Poor in Florida we shipped 10 tons of ER to the school in Los Palis. The lunch program was implemented to the students' satisfaction. The students ate a nice meal to fill their bellies and nourish their brains while at school.