Thousands of South Department Farmers Receive Tools and Seeds in FAO-Backed Program

Farmers across Haiti's South department are receiving agricultural tools, seeds and inputs through a program led by the Ministry of Agriculture (MARNDR), via the Departmental Agricultural Directorate of the South (DDAS), with support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), according to haitilibre.com. Distributions spanned communes from Cavaillon to Les Cayes, Camp-Perrin, Port-Salut and Tiburon. In an initial phase, nearly 3,000 farmers in Camp-Perrin, Cavaillon, Chardonnières and Torbeck received vegetable seed kits and tools including watering cans, shovels, rakes, buckets, hoes and fertilizer, aimed at promoting market gardening and home gardens, particularly for women. A second phase extended support to food and cereal crops, with 1,200 producers in Port-à-Piment, Chardonnières and Tiburon receiving corn and black bean seeds, plus sweet potato, cassava and banana cuttings. For the coming winter agricultural season, FAO plans further distributions in Côteaux and Roche-à-Bateau in November. Fishermen in communes including Saint Jean, Port Salut, Roche-à-Bateau, Coteaux, Port-à-Piment, Chardonnières, Les Anglais and Tiburon are also slated to receive technical support and equipment such as igloo coolers, nets, traps, nylon ropes and repair kits, alongside training on environmental protection and Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs), the outlet reported.