Help Families Grow their Own Food in Rural Haiti

Our project focusing on expanding local food production are MPL, OPAH/OPB, SADN, TKL Oscar Romeo. These farmer associations received 12 Oxen to pull their plows in order to increase the acreage dedicated to food production in their localities.  Oxplows replace hand labor with a hoe that prepared the land at a very slow pace in addition to the effect of the tropical sun on farmers preparing the ground. 

During this reporting period, these organizations turn over 30.15 acre of land.  Having the plows allow for access whenever needed to plant beans, corn, peanuts and other legumes for the local food market.  However immediate the access to plowing, the impact of extreme drought or unexpected inundation has curtailed the capacity to produce even more food.   Thus the organizations have made small profits.  In their budget, 30-40% goes to pay the plow operators; 40% was used to build pasture space and feed for the oxens. 

The emphasis on Ox plowing versus individual hand hoe is a major strategy to improve the level of production in our local farming community.  An oxplow is twenty to twenty five times faster than using an hoe to turn the land for planting.  Establishing the capacity for this servie access accompanied by access to loan by the farmers to pay for the plowing serving is clearly expanding food production in the local community.

The organizations not only provide the service for the members but also for the community at large.  In fact there were 89 farmers who used the plowing service of whihc 64 were organization members and 25 non-members. The organizations in establishing the sercice brought in 50.325 in revenue for long term  capacity building for their membership.

Thank you for your support and your help to improve the local food production. . 

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