One of the big problems facing the people of Lamine is floods and droughts – either too much water, or not enough. Delma Lisis, coordinator of the local farmers association Kòdinasyon Peyizan Lamin (pictured below, left), says it’s down to “lack of management of natural resources”.
Floods destroy crops and livelihoods
“Farming has generally been done without any soil conservation practices, exposing most of these lands to severe erosion and decreased yields," he says.
“Desertification and deforestation have increased the danger and severity of floods – rivers crest their banks, destroying crops and liveilihoods.”
With support from Progressio’s Gabriel Petit-Homme (above in grey shirt) and our partner organisation Solidarite Fwontalye, Delma and KPL have come up with a solution: building flood walls to limit the damage from tropical storms, preventing soil erosion and capturing storm water which can then be used for irrigation.
Immediate benefits
The project has not just improved water management so that farmers have better access to water during periods of drought. It’s also brought immediate benefits to 146 women and 144 men who were paid for their work on the construction site, providing welcome additional income for many families – such as Augustine Joseline and Joseph Delfo, who said: “
This additional money has been useful to pay for improvements to our family home and towards schooling for our children.”
More flood walls will benefit more farmers and families
Delma adds: “Our challenge now is to build more rain water storage and irrigation systems like this one, to benefit more farmers and families.”
This is just one of a planned 20 water retaining walls to be built during the Food for a better future project.
Photos: villagers stand on the flood wall in Lamine, Haiti; and (left to right) Delma Lisis, Gabriel Petit-Homme, and Michel Edouard Alcimé from partner organisation Solidarite Fwontalye (photos © Fran Afonso/Progressio)
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