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Trees in HaitiTrees bring hope in Haiti
In the barrenness of rural Haiti, MCC food security efforts focus on combating a devastating deforestation problem. Poverty is at the heart of Haiti's deforestation; chopping trees to make charcoal to sell is one of the few ways an average Haitian can earn a bit of money. The country is now stripped of all but 1.5 percent of its trees. MCC supports 20 local tree nurseries in Haiti. Some of the 440,000 seedlings distributed to families every year are fruit trees, an important source of vitamins in most Haitians' limited diets. Equally as important, trees fight erosion and replenish the soil so farmers can produce larger and healthier crops. Less erosion near springs also means cleaner, more plentiful water. To help Haitians break the cycle of poverty, MCC also supports literacy classes that teach small business skills as well as environmental topics. MCC receives 3 to 1 matching funds from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for agriculture, food security and other projects in Haiti. Pictured are Wilfod Elisdor and Michle Jamilis, workers in an MCC-supported tree nursery in Valereux, central Haiti. With a goal of planting 20,000 trees a year, they nurture more than 10 types of trees, including mango, avocado and orange.
For more information on MCC's work in Haiti, see the June 2001 issue of MCC's magazine, "a Common Place." Fish Farms • Trees in Haiti • Lakota Gardens • Greenhouses • MCC's Food Philosophy • Food Security Home |
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© 2001 Mennonite Central Committee
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