Environmental Initiatives on the Community Level: The Case of Borgne, Haiti
In examining the opportunities that lie within the larger context of Haitian reconstruction efforts, mending the strained environment upon which Haiti’s fragile rural agricultural sector depends must be a priority. Though related to other pieces of the Haitian reconstruction puzzle, the question of mending the Haitian environment comes down largely to the best way trees can be incorporated into Haiti’s existing agricultural systems. It can safely be assumed that just as thousands of trees have been planted in Haiti in the past, thousands more will be planted in the future by NGOs, International Organizations and perhaps even Haitian government agencies.
While the decades long absence of any kind of positive and stable government presence has created a “republic of foreign NGOs” that provide the bulk of Haiti’s essential services, it has also had lasting and potentially positive impact on rural civil society. Though born out of a need to overcome challenges in the absence of government help, the presence of dynamic community level organizations in Haiti presents the opportunity for both governmental and nongovernmental organizations to engage and reflect a more appropriate approach to reconstruction and development initiatives in Haiti. Though “grassroots” in itself has become a controversial buzzword on the development scene, it is evident that rural Haitians are both willing and capable of mobilizing themselves toward a cause (Smith 2001). It is of little surprise then that some of these organizations have moved beyond the often cited “konbit” (a Kreyòl word describing collective farm work) to larger endeavors—such as tree planting, environmental education and erosion control.
The importance of the post-earthquake opportunity for a paradigm shift cannot be overstated as engaging rural community organizations in reconstruction efforts would represent bypassing the rigid stratum that have long plagued Haitian society and historically hindered development. The purpose of this paper then is to examine and assess the unique environmental initiatives undertaken by the community organizations of Borgne: the Movement for the Integral Development of Borgne and the Gwoupman Peasant Organization of Kot de Fer. These organizations have mobilized toward environmental development through the construction of nurseries that provide trees to community plot holders, the systematic monitoring of those trees provided by the organizations and educational sessions for community members on how to prevent further damage to their land.
Beyond an ethnographic assessment, the primary question to be answered in this paper is whether the model incorporated by the organizations of Borgne may be successfully scaled up to other communities throughout rural Haiti. Further, how can this important work in environmental reconstruction and development be supported by other development entities both governmental and nongovernmental?
Field research will be completed in June and July 2010 and will use multiple research methodologies. The primary methods to be employed in data collection will be Participatory Action Research, semi-structured interviewing and limited surveying.
This presentation will be an interactive lecture that will invite some audience participation and will use a Powerpoint presentation as a visual aid to present photos, diagrams and statistics.
References:
Smith, Jennie M. When the Hands are Many. Ithaca, New York. Cornell University Press, 2001.
Abstract: Given the desperate need to mend Haiti’s environment, which has been struggling for decades under the pressures of a burgeoning population, this presentation will examine the environmental initiatives of the community organizations of Borgne, Haiti, and their potential as a model for future environmental reconstruction and development initiatives.
