Abstract: Haitian Studies Association Conference at Brown University - Nov. 11-13

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.

Practicum: Baby Grapefruit Trees

These are the photos of the mostly grapefruit trees (I threw a juice orange seed in one container--I guess I was feeling reckless one night) that were previously discussed in this entry: http://treesforhaiti.blogspot.com/2010/04/grapefruit-development-complex.html

I've since moved them from their cozy spot in my windowsill to my friends balcony. As you can see they need to be replanted into larger, individual containers that have some kind of drainage (nothing fancy, just a little American ingenuity--and by that I likely mean holes punched with a knife)....

In the container above there are actually two plants growing together as I put two seeds in thinking one had gone dormant...they've been growing together so we'll see what happens!

In the tin can there are actually three plants growing, two in the center and one on the side (which is the tallest one)...they're looking good with the rain still on their leaves from the night before!

Been busy, more soon....

January 5 - a more typical day...

In keeping with a solid mix of entries, I want to include one of our more typical days. January 5 was the day after we arrived in Cap-Haitien.

After a restful and rock hard sleep, we woke up and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. The bananas and bread were fresh and the coffee was delicious. Taking advantage of the sunshine, we piled into the SOIL truck and headed out to the technology center in Milot. After one of the nice but bumpy rides that characterize Haitian transportation, we dismounted outside of a group houses. We were welcomed by an old dell computer and a smiling gentleman who was working very hard carving a large toilet basin out of clay. I stood amazed as Sasha and Sarah explained the various designs and materials that were used in the production of the toilet bowl. The clay could be found locally. Surely they could have imported toilet bowls from the US, but this was an ethical operation that was not just about providing a toilet but also about empowering communities. Leaving the man to his work, Sasha showed us the toilet out back. We took turns stepping inside the toilet and having a look around. I was blown away at the simple yet brilliant innovation. It was as if the cycle was complete: food went from the field, to the human stomach, to the toilet, to the compost heap and back onto the field to enrich the next round of crops. To examine this cycle in its totality, we walked to an additional compost site and through the local fields and gardens. I noted the presence of banana trees through the potato plots…was this planned or by happenstance? I didn’t have too long to think as we continued our jaunt through the community to a dense plot of trees. How refreshing to see veritable forest in Haiti! Internally, I beamed with excitement and began my own mental journey through history—imagining the entire island covered with lush forest. This intellectual indulgence only continued with our arrival at a massive tree which was rumored to have been around since before the revolution. Sasha explained the role of the tree and its giant roots as a political meeting place, but the presence of pots around the base of the tree also had other religious implications. I began to get the eeriest sense and recalled Amy Wilentz’s commentary about Haitians being a people that “walk in history.” The local fellow who was walking us around led everyone over to a large hollow tree, to whom he spoke or prayed loudly. Hanging in back with a few of the SOL gang, I asked them if there were in “lwa” around and they just smiled and laughed. “Is he talking to Bondye?” I asked. They laughed again. Our conversation continued and I joked with them that I wasn’t going into any tree you had to talk to, especially considering how close we were to Bwa Kayiman. “You know your history!” they said to me through their laughter. Just then from the other side of the giant tree, Jack asked about the presence of snakes. While he waited for an answer, he looked down toward his feet and saw a very large snake skin. I’m not typically a religious or mystical guy, but there was just too much going on here to ignore. The two fellows I was with also took a much more serious demeanor. What a strange thing I thought aloud…This is one blan that will not be ignoring Haiti’s rich religious heritage—vodou or otherwise!

The Total Environment

Though usually harm to the environment and its effect on human populations seems gradual and distant, the tragic reality is that in many parts of the developing world, the environment is not a distant concept but something dealt with and depended on for daily survival. The traditional concept of “nature” or “conservation” in the US is a large, undeveloped area with lots and lots of trees—and no people. Though volumes exist on the evolution of the environmental movement and the debates between conservation and poverty alleviation (most people that inhabit forests are generally poor, booting them out to “conserve” only disrupts their livelihood more), the fact is that the connections between human and environment are exponential and cannot be ignored. These connections are tragically apparent in Haiti, where environmental degradation is inherently tied to degenerated soil quality and a near total absence of trees. Because only 2% of Haiti’s tree cover remains, deforestation has caused massive erosion and soil degeneration. Subsequently poor agricultural yields hinder the nation’s ability to produce enough food to feed itself (though US rice imports flooding the market has not helped either). Combining these conditions with peasant demands for energy—which comes in the form of wood charcoal—threatens the Haitian environment’s capacity to sustain a burgeoning population. While Haiti may never be the lush forested island it once was, strategically planted trees and hedgerows may serve as erosion barriers to halt what in some cases can be a rather harsh reminder that the effects of environmental degradation are not always slow or gradual. A recent mudslide in Cap Haitien, which crashed into a school and took the lives of four students, serves as a harsh reminder that in Haiti the environment is not fading slowly on a distant horizon but is crumbling away on a daily basis, threatening not only Haiti’s agricultural economy, but her citizens too.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/16/1482002/mudslides-hit-school-four-students.html

*The city of Cap-Haitien is built right into the mountains surrounding the city