To improve the socioeconomic situation of community members through the creation of productive agricultural cooperatives in Duchity. Three agricultural cooperatives will be established in the community of Duchity. More than 600 members will receive training in literacy, improved agricultural techniques, improved environmental practices, management of the cooperative, and management of small enterprise. New community leadership will emerge and local women’s groups will be reinforced. Agricultural output and small enterprise will diversify and increase. Agricultural and capital credit will be granted to the cooperatives. Average incomes of cooperative members are expected to increase by 40% by the end of this project.

To improve the socioeconomic situation of community members in Terrier Rouge through the support of productive agricultural cooperatives. From July to September 2010, farmers organized into rotating work groups and prepared and planted three hectares of farmland. 22 garden beds were prepared for market vegetables, including cabbage and peppers. 121 cooperative members received training in management of the cooperative and cultivation of cabbage, bean, corn, and leek crops. Cooperative leaders received training in accounting and bookkeeping. Crops were harvested and sold, and plans were prepared for future planting seasons. 101 members participated in a General Assembly in which two new members were elected to the Board of Directors and one new member was elected to the Monitoring Committee. The Monitoring and Administrative Committees also received training appropriate to their responsibilities.

To increase the capacity of pcH in the area of basic animal health services by providing training to its members and to develop and promote the use of best practices in livestock health in rural Haitian cooperatives through training of trainers. pcH staff received training in community-based animal health work and have become more proficient as trainers and administrators of best practices for livestock health and production management. pcH staff have gained increased access to course materials and resources that will assist them in training cooperative members in livestock health and production techniques. As a result, pcH-supported cooperatives and their members gained increased access to trained personnel delivering agricultural and veterinary services. Cooperative members have increased their knowledge and skill in livestock health and production management. Click here to find out more about ISCA’s partnership with FIDA/pcH in Haiti.

To decrease preventable deaths due to cholera, diarrheal illness, and other hygiene related illnesses for farming families in Haut Saint-Marc. 300 women and men from three local cooperatives were trained in basic hygiene practices such as hand washing and water purification. Training also focused on building and maintaining latrines that are appropriate to the local community, and basic assessment and treatment skills for diarrheal illness. Local cooperative members in Haut Saint-Marc, an area particularly hard-hit by the cholera epidemic, enhanced their skills in the prevention and treatment of cholera. They gained increased capacity to protect their own general health and to advocate for their health needs and the greater systems that affect their well-being.

To facilitate the development of a 20 year operational plan to support agricultural and agro-forestry production in Duchity, located in the department of Grand Anse in the south of the country. Forests without Borders staff, pcH staff and members of three cooperatives in Duchity were trained in how to develop agro-forestry systems for the short, medium, and long term. Training focused on plant and tree identification, nursery production techniques, plantation establishment, and tending and installing biogas generation systems. pcH staff gained the capacity to continue the process once this project ended. pcH staff and community members in Duchity also learned to train other trainers, disseminate knowledge and skills, and continue to build in-country professional agro-forestry capacity in Haiti.

To improve food security and livelihoods for members of the Coopérative des Planteurs de Gorgette (CPG) in Duchity through support for food production and literacy. 748 cooperative members received literacy training in seven different local literacy centers in Gorgette. 120 farmers were trained in organic composting techniques, and 150 farmers were trained in organic pest management techniques. 100 farmers received training and credit for bean cultivation, an important regional crop. Through literacy training, cooperative members became empowered to participate in cooperative activities and improve the functioning and the profitability of the cooperative. Through agricultural training and credit, farmers were able to increase food production and food availability in the region.

To motivate community members in Lafiteau to participate actively in a respectful dialogue process and to assist them in overcoming obstacles and constraints in order to participate fully in the social and economic development of their community. Community members in Lafiteau analyzed their daily lives and learned to identify factors of dependency and resistance within their community. They learned to understand the dynamics of different community groups and how they function, prioritized community needs and resources, developed ideas for concrete collective action, and worked towards the socioeconomic development of Lafiteau. The community is now prepared to work together in a larger development project to create a lasting improvement in the lives of community members in Lafiteau.