Yes… Some Good News From Haiti

New SFA member Leonie Bernard in the tree nursery she helps to manage.

Good news from Haiti would seem to be a self-contradiction of late, but nonetheless we have some positive news to share about the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA). We are sharing this news to keep our network of generous supporters updated as to what their donations have accomplished, but also because it is important to let people know that the tragedy of gang violence in Port-au-Prince does not represent the situation in the rest of the country.

The SFA has had a banner couple of years with the support of the Raising Haiti Foundation. We have expanded from 7 branch locations to 11, and enrolled 3,400 new farmer members. We have established 6 new tree nurseries, bringing our total to 39. And from these nurseries our members have planted 492,700 trees in the past 12 months, with 274,000 more ready to transplant by the end of the year. 

The SFA microcredit program has given 2,233 loans to women farmers since last year at this time. Whereas our loans ranged from the equivalent of US$25 to $50 when we started this program 14 years ago, they now range from $76 to $1,132. During that period we have never had a single default on any loan, and by the end of this year we plan to have added 100 more loan clients.

But statistics only tell part of the story and we wanted to let four farmers speak for themselves: each is from one of the four new SFA locations. 

Leonie Bernard (photo at top) is 53 and grows primarily corn and black beans on her farm near Saint Jean du Sud. “I am very happy to be part of the new SFA nursery where we are growing many different trees,” she said. “All the farmers work together in the nursery and we are helping each other on our farms. This is a big change for us.”

Elrich Desilus (shown with a papaya tree), age 46, grows corn and lima beans on his farm near Cote de Fer. “The SFA came here last year and the farmers have become more positive in their mindset because someone came to help with seed and tools and training.” Elrich went on to add, “We are growing many kinds of trees in our nursery, and I have already planted several on my land. So far I have breadfruit, papaya, moringa, cacao and star fruit [note: tree names have been translated from the local vernacular].”

Phidelande Jolicouer (above) is 26 years old and on her farm near Cerca Cavajal she grows pigeon peas, corn and cowpeas. “Since the SFA came to our area last July, we have had training to improve our farming,” she said. “We understand how to have better crops but also to protect the natural environment at the same time. And we have hope… for ourselves and our children.”

Idalia Meritil is 52 and on her farm near Chauffard she grows corn, sorghum, black beans, cassava, sweet potatoes and yams. When asked about the biggest change since the SFA arrived, she said, “The SFA is good news because we are all helping each other and learning to farm better. We are getting good crop seeds and good tools. I am proud of our tree nursery because we built it ourselves and it is beautiful. And the trees are beautiful.”

Branch locations of the SFA in Haiti, with new locations in red.

To the Raising Haiti Foundation we express our profound thanks for your support. To the institutions, foundations and individuals who have donated over the past year, we are truly grateful. And to those who have yet to contribute, we ask for your support now because we are in need of additional funds to ensure our farmer members can prosper as they help to feed and reforest the nation.

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Hugh Locke, President, SFA 

Timote Georges, Executive Director, SFA

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