PAD NORD-HAÏTI - Sustainable management of Limbé watershed and measurement of the environmental impact of agricultural activities

The project is an extension of the "Food Security Project in Northeast Haiti" (PSANH) led by Agrisud since 2010. It focuses on the Limbé watershed composed by the 4 major following municipalities: Limbé, Bas Limbé, Marmelade and Acul North. 3 distinct geomorphological areas can be observed from upstream to downstream:

• Wet mountain areas: slope systems (cassava, taro, beans, peas, corn, livestock);
• Piedmont area: agroforestry (fruit, coffee, cocoa, bananas and yams);
• Plains area: wet and dry plain systems (rice, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas).

This great diversity of these systems allows a very varied production adapted to major markets (Limbé, Cap Haïtien and Port au Prince). However, small farms (<1 ha) are subject to intense constraints due to watershed degradation. Erosion of slope lands i) decreases the quality and size of usable land, ii) do not allow to secure current crops and iii) worsen floods threat and cultures burying downstream. This erosion results from the violence of rainfall events on some very steep land, undermined by inappropriate agricultural practices and deforestation (for energy production and timber and for new agricultural areas opening).

A1. Coaching and training 700 farmers to improve their technical, economic and environmental practices
A2. Support 4 municipalities regarding planning and implementation of development plans on the watershed
A3. Development of methods of analysis and monitoring dedicated to the environmental impact of the project in terms of greenhouse gases emission and natural resources preservation