#Medor agro-forestry

[marysusancarlson]

Medor's Agro-forestry Program

During the first six months of 2023, the agro-forestry program in Medor conducted 16 training sessions. The topics focused on Tree Nursery Management, Tree Transplantation Techniques, Seed Treatment, Composting Technology, Soil and Water Conservation, and Animal Nutrition and Health. Between 25-94 people attended each session; about 38% of the total attendants were women. We applaud the Smallholder Farmers Alliance, the group that implements Medor’s agro-forestry program, for organizing these training sessions, which are empowering the farmers to improve their community.

Thank you to the planners, instructors, attendants, and funders. You are making a positive impact.

[marysusancarlson]

Medor Children Plant Trees

One of the many awesome aspects of the agro-forestry program in Medor, Haiti, is that everyone in the community can participate in tree planting. Even the children join in! There are primary and secondary school environmental education components to the agro-forestry program. Students learn about the importance of reforestation and then put their knowledge into action by planting trees. We are grateful to the Smallholder Farmers Alliance for implementing Medor's agro-forestry program, to all the participants for their wonderful work, and to Our Lady Queen of Peace and Raising Haiti Foundation for funding the program. Thank you!

[marysusancarlson]

Medor Establishes a Farmers' Cooperative

Medor’s agro-forestry program has formed a farmers’ cooperative that is now recognized by the Haitian government. Its purpose is to promote local development by encouraging farm productivity, food processing, food product marketing, and the sale of farm products in various markets. The coop’s board of directors received training on cooperative management, conflict management, and community leadership. Many think that the cooperative is a big step forward for sustainable community development in Medor.

The celebration launching the cooperative began with Mass which was followed by a parade led by musicians.

Thank you to all who contributed toward this awesome accomplishment.

[marysusancarlson]

Seed Bank in Medor, Haiti

In the first six months of this year, the ten community seed banks in Medor’s agro-forestry program lent participating farmers a total of 20,454 pounds of black bean, pigeon pea, and peanut seeds. This allows farmers to increase their crop yields, better feed their families, and increase their incomes. After harvest the farmers return the same amount of seeds they borrowed plus an additional 10%, helping sustain the seed bank program. Of the many aspects of the community’s agro-forestry program, seed lending is one of the most valued.

Thank you to the farmers in Medor for working on this project. Thank you to the Smallholder Farmers Alliance for implementing it. Thank you to Our Lady Queen of Peace Church and Raising Haiti Foundation for supporting it financially.

[marysusancarlson]

Tree Planting

The people of Medor, Haiti are dedicated to planting and caring for trees, not just on Earth Day and Arbor Day, but all year round. Since Medor’s agro-forestry program began in 2010 they have planted over one million trees within the 74 square miles of St. Joseph parish. Farmers plant the trees in their gardens, and in areas that need land restoration and slope stabilization. Since they earn crop seeds, agricultural hand tools and training on improved farming techniques for their work planting and maintaining trees, in addition to helping the environment, they are also helping increase their crop yields and incomes. It is a win-win situation! Thank you to Our Lady Queen of Peace for supporting Medor’s agro-forestry program. Thank you to the people in Medor who do all the work to make the program such a success.

[marysusancarlson]

Agro-forestry in Medor, Haiti

This announcement was made at the Masses at Our Lady Queen of Peace this weekend: “The farmers in our sister parish in Medor, Haiti benefit from their agroforestry program. As tree planting and food growth continues, the Medor community yields sustenance, income, an improvement of the environment, and a source of fuel and building materials.” 

[marysusancarlson]

Exciting News from Medor!

Exciting News from Medor!

The Medor community has reached a huge milestone! The farmers in St Joseph parish planted over ONE MILLION trees in the parish since 2010! The trees have a 60% survival rate, considered a good rate in comparison to other reforestation projects in developing countries. The trees provide many benefits, including protection of water sources, prevention of floods and mudslides, promotion of biodiversity, as well as helping mitigate climate change. The Medor community reaps other benefits from tree planting: the farmers who participate in the agro-forestry program earn training, crop seeds, and agricultural hand tools, allowing them to increase their harvests and livelihoods. Thank you to Our Lady Queen of Peace for supporting this important program in our sister parish.

[marysusancarlson]

Food Security in Haiti

Haiti imports around 60% of all its food and more than 80% of its rice, its most important staple. Dependence on foreign food sources worsens Haiti’s food security during this time of crisis, when gangs block the ports and there is a grain shortage due to the war in Ukraine. One goal of Medor’s agro-forestry program is to empower the community's farmers to increase their crop yields, lessening food insecurity in the area. The program enhances the resilience of our Haitian family.

[marysusancarlson]

Spotlighting Vannia on the International Day of the Girl

Dear Friends,     On this International Day of the Girl, the Raising Haiti Foundation recognizes Vannia Laurent as a shining star in her community of rural Medor, Haiti.

    Vannia is the youngest of six children. Her mother sells produce in an outdoor market, and, prior to his death in 2017, her father was a smallholder farmer.  Vannia completed primary and secondary school in Medor and then attended the University of Fondwa on scholarship provided by friends of our partner, Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Arlington, VA. She is the first person in her extended family to attend university. Vannia says she majored in agronomy because her father taught her to love the land and because she knows that this field is critical to the development of her community and her country.     While in university, Vannia worked on a group project, competing with other teams as they presented business plans they designed to help improve their rural communities.

Vannia and the other students from Medor present their business plan. Vannia’s team won the competition and the plan was funded by Raising Haiti Foundation, and others, resulting in the opening of a farm supply store in her home community.

Medor's farm supply store, Kay Plante, which means "Farmer's House", opened in 2021. The store allows community members to purchase locally and avoid the eight-hour walk (or more) to the next nearest store.     After graduation, Vannia completed an agronomy internship funded by Raising Haiti Foundation and implemented by the Smallholder Farmers Alliance. She excelled in the internship, and, as a result, she was hired as a full time agronomist, helping lead Medor’s thriving agro-forestry program.     The entire Medor community looks up to Vannia. She is a leader and a role model. She exemplifies the hard work, determination and resilience of so many Haitian girls. Despite the current extraordinary hardships in Haiti, she perseveres and empowers other girls (and boys!) to do the same. Vannia, and others like her, provide hope that eventually their country will have a brighter future. We believe she is an International Day of the Girl HERO.     Our wonderful donors and advocates (YOU!) allow this good work to continue. Thank you for helping Vannia achieve her full potential. Thank you for supporting the essential work of empowering girls in rural Haiti. We appreciate you! With gratitude, Sue Carlson, M.D. Executive Director, Raising Haiti Foundation

[marysusancarlson]

News from Medor

In the first six months of 2022 the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA) conducted 14 formal training sessions for farmers in the Medor area. Some topics included proper techniques for tree transplantation, composting technology, consequences of slash and burn farming, and proper storage of black beans. Approximately 90 people attended each meeting. About 40% of those attending were women. We are grateful to the SFA for conducting these vital training sessions for farmers in Medor and to Our Lady Queen of Peace parish and to Raising Haiti Foundation for helping to support the agro-forestry program in Medor.

[marysusancarlson]

News from Medor, Haiti

Our Lady Queen of Peace Haiti Committee supports an agro-forestry program, run by the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), that empowered 2,400 farmers to plant nearly 80,000 trees in the Medor area in the first six months of 2022. The program pays farmers who plant and care for trees with items they need to increase their harvests and income: high quality crop seeds, agricultural hand tools, and training on improved farming techniques. The goal is to make living trees more valuable than those that are harvested for charcoal. The program aids the environment and addresses poverty, food insecurity and, since women participate equally, gender equality. We are grateful to SFA for implementing this important program in our twin parish.

[marysusancarlson]

Environmental Training

The agro-forestry program in Medor provides training on how to care for the environment. This photo shows a meeting that occurred in the last six months. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that many people in Medor know more about the environment that many of us in the US. Thank you, Smallholder Farmers Alliance, for teaching many Medor citizens how to care for our earth.

[marysusancarlson]

News from Medor

Timote Georges, Director of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance, the organization that implements Medor’s agro-forestry program, wrote, “The socio-political challenges in Haiti have become more pronounced over the last year. Farmers are especially affected because of the pre-existing conditions in which they live. However, the farmers in Medor are better off than those who do not receive support similar to what Our Lady Queen of Peace provides. Medor’s agro-forestry program has enabled significant advances, including an increase in forestation, an increase in bean and other crop yields, a change in the local mindset regarding sustainable development/environmental protection, and an increase in local employment. Still, there is much to be done in Medor.” Thank you Smallholder Farmers Alliance, the participating farmers, and Our Lady Queen of Peace for joining together in this wonderful program that benefits so many.

[marysusancarlson]

Medor News

Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) church in Arlington, VA provided funds to build the primary and secondary schools in St. Joseph parish in Medor, Haiti, and continues to support a good portion of the expenses of the schools, as well as agro-forestry, clean water, sanitation, health, and solar energy activities.  The main objectives of the twinning between OLQP and St. Joseph parish are to deepen the relationship between the people of both communities and to help the people of Medor raise their own standard of living. The Haitians contribute their time, labor, and whatever funds they can to sustain the programs.  They identify priorities, manage programs, and do the work in their community. The two parishes enjoy a relationship of mutual solidarity and respect.

Altar cloth at St. Joseph’s was embroidered by a Medor seamstress

[marysusancarlson]

Reforestation in Medor

Nearly 7 acres of land were purchased as a component of Medor’s agro-forestry program. The land is being converted to a forest. This will be a showcase on how to restore degraded land and will demonstrate the advantages of biodiversity and soil conservation. Due to deforestation in the area, some people in Medor have never seen a forest. As the trees on the property mature, they will have one in their community. Thank you to the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA) for implementing Medor’s agro-forestry program. Thank you to Our Lady Queen of Peace, Raising Haiti Foundation and SFA for providing financial support. Thank you to the Medor farmers for doing the work to make the program a success.

This land will be converted to a forest.

[marysusancarlson]

News from Medor

Medor’s agro-forestry program empowers farmers to plant and care for trees. This work allows them to earn training, crop seeds and agricultural hand tools. In 2021 1,600 farmers earned a tool, such as a hoe or scythe. The tools enhance crop productivity and help increase incomes. Thank you to all for supporting this important program in our twin parish. 

Erilus Arisma with the mattock he earned by planting trees