Three HOLISTIC programs
The HCA facilitates the follow three programs to holistically address rural development
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1.
Agroecology Extension
The Agroforestry program impacts farming communities through extension services. Agroforestry teams are assigned to specific communities to guide them in the design process over the course of 5 years. The teams do this through demonstration, training, consistent scheduled follow up, and provision of physical resources (trees and seasonal crops).
1. MONTHLY FARMER TRAININGS
Each month we host a farmer co-op meeting that is attended by more than 100 local farmers. At these monthly meetings, we have three agronomists who train, educate, and workshop with the farmers to make it as adoptable as possible.
2. NURSERY + SEEDLING DISTRIBUTIONS
We have two nurseries on-site to propagate and equip farmers with fruit trees and mixed vegetable crops so that they can receive these and integrate them into their fields
3. RESEARCH + DEMONSTRATION PLOTS
The demonstration plots across HCA’s 30 acres showcase proper soil stabilization and terracing techniques, greenhouse and nursery propagation, mixed vegetable intercropping systems, and animal integration plots.
4. AGRONOMY INTERNSHIPS FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN HAITI
The HCA hosts agricultural university students to conduct field trials on-site for Haiti’s local farmers, as well as, support full-time HCA technician team in day-to-day operations.
How do we track progress?
We keep a farmer database to track their progress on a monthly basis to encourage real-time application of what they are learning. We generate GPS plots on the farmers’ land where the farmer and HCA technicians design a unique agroecology application for their land’s needs. Annually, we capture socio-economic and environmental data.
2. Ecological Restoration
We’re currently working in two mangrove sites, planting nearly 5 million trees in total since 2021.
Plans to open historical watershed sites in 2024
4.9M+ mangroves
The purpose of these programs is to engage the community in environmental restoration projects in order to restore and protect water sources, watersheds, and vital ecosystems that support a healthy landscape.
Helping agrarian communities to create community wide water management programs such as massive earthworks for water harvesting and tree planting, water catchment, water distribution, and more can revitalize landscapes.
This part of the program develops projects in national parks, preserves, reserves, and wild uninhabited lands as well as vital ecosystems and waterways within rural communities. Oftentimes, over-extraction of natural resources is the result of populations in close proximity to these resources; it is their only option as they have little to no other form of income. These programs focus on hiring these specific populations to directly impact their own environment positively, while getting paid for it.
planted for coastal restoration
Fig. 1 Ile-a-vache Targeted Polygon
How do we track progress?
Twice a year we conduct follow-ups in our planting sites to determine the overall health of the ecosystem. We use drones, geo-tagged videos and photos, and the circle plot method to determine the survival rates of planted trees.
Fig 2. Ile-a-Vache Relief view
Fig. 3 Ile-a-Vache Mudflat View, young mangrove forest growth
3. Market Cooperative
The cooperative is where we connect the fruits of our labor to the marketplace. the cooperative also experiments with food processing and other value-added products. It is important for the local team to identify what they feel is most important to focus on.
Each project has at least one or more field schools where they are producing a multitude of products. Each site has a Farm Manager keeps track of all production in conjunction with the Cooperative Manager.
Activities include but are not limited to: solar dehydrator processing, selling produce from demonstration plots, vendors from the market coming to us to buy, collecting market data to share with farmers for crop planning and forecasting.
How do we track progress?
The cooperative keeps track of buyers and sellers, sales and purchases of produce, farm production inventory and harvest forecasting, and GPS mapping and displaying areas of production.
The HCA houses a solar dehydrator where we are experimenting with processing raw fruit to dehydrate for food preservation and to add value to farmers products in the market.
Download the Impact report
Are you curious to learn more about our center model? Download and share Harvest Craft’s Multi-year Impact Report.