-
Sustainable Haiti Project
Alltech Graduate Programme
We are announcing a brand new educational initiative that will provide recent graduates with 12 intensive months of...
Alltech first became involved in Haiti shortly after the devastating January 2010 earthquake, the worst to hit the region in 200 years. Initially we called our efforts “Haiti Relief” and we began raising funds to help the victims. As we learned more about Haiti it quickly became apparent that something other than disaster relief was needed. Relief is quick, an emergency response. Relief is important, especially following a disaster, but it is destined to be a short-term effort.
Haiti Has Serious Long-term Problems
Haiti’s ongoing problems overshadow the disaster of the earthquake. It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Centuries of poverty have resulted in poorly built and maintained structures and sprawling slums with makeshift housing. The epicenter of the earthquake was only 15 km from the densely-populated capital, Port-au-Prince. Roughly 2 million people live in this area of heavy to moderate structural damage.
Deforestation in Haiti is almost complete. Unsustainable timber harvesting and agricultural clearing began during French rule and continued after Haiti won its independence in 1804. In recent decades the demand for cooking charcoal has accelerated the destruction. In 1960 approximately 60% of Haiti was forested. Today it is only 3%. To make matters worse, land ownership in many areas is poorly documented and timber concessionaires, driven by short-term income, have no motivation to preserve standing trees for future harvest. Once the trees have been cut, the roots are dug up to get as much wood as possible. This practice results in devastating soil erosion and makes it nearly impossible for the forests to grow back. Deforestation and the resulting soil erosion increase the frequency of flooding and reduce agricultural potential.
What Can We Do?
Sustainable economic growth is the only thing that will make a long-term difference in Haiti. Alleviating poverty, changing agricultural and forestry practices and providing new energy sources - these are the things that must occur to make Haiti less vulnerable.
Haiti needs a healthy economy. It needs businesses that can create jobs, pay taxes and invest in infrastructure. Businesses can help Haiti by doing business in Haiti; and the business they do must be sustainable. There is no room left for traditional trade that exploits natural resources. There is nothing left to exploit.
Bringing Sustainable Growth to One Small Corner of Haiti
We are planning the construction of a natural animal nutrition production facility, named Alltech Haiti, that will bring jobs and resources to Haitian communities. Buyers are already on board to purchase Alltech’s products that will be made in Haiti, and we believe the facility will not only be self-sustaining, but even create a profit that will be reinvested in the local community. The potential exists to raise poultry, pigs and aquaculture among other livestock, and this production facility will involve the local people and materials. This facility, as part of the Alltech Sustainable Haiti Project, will support local communities through continual reinvestment.
