Goals and Objectives Read More

Study Session

Field Visits

The faces of MPP

Community

REPORT ON AGRICULTURAL MISSIONS STUDY SESSION 2009

This year's Agricultural Missions study session was on the theme: Food and Ecological Crisis: Rebuilding Food Economies in Haiti and Where you Live. It took place in Papay, the Central Plateau of Haiti March 9-13, 2009 at the Training Center of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP). The training center is a campus capable of receiving relatively large groups with adequate though basic facilities. MPP is the largest peasant movement in Haiti comprising numerous associations, cooperatives, and grassroots community groups. It is a member of the Via Campesina movement and Chavannes Jean Baptiste, our host and director of MPP, is on the International Coordinating Council of the Via Campesina representing the Caribbean Region.

The gathering brought together an interesting mix of representatives of peasant organizations from all parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as members and participants from the United States connected to Agricultural Missions. Also in attendance was a staff member of Heifer Project International in Northern Haiti. We were about 60 people in all, of whom 15 were from the US. Simultaneous language interpretation was accomplished by AMI board and staff persons as well as by Haitian delegates and allies who stepped up to help in Kreyol-Spanish and English-Kreyol, using equipment rented from the United Methodists in NYC, effectively covering the three languages being employed during the entire event.

On the first day of the Study session the participants were divided into three groups to go and visit activities of peasant groups and of MPP in the district. In doing so some participants saw the small scale irrigation system built to irrigate community farms down stream from Basin Zim, a waterfall on a tributary of the Guayamuco river. Others visited the activities in the community of Papay, including in and around the training center, witnessing two massive water reservoirs created by the damming of relatively small creeks, and used to irrigate valley plots of mixed vegetables, root crops and bananas for dozens of families. They visited the MPP radio station used to communicate and educate among the surrounding communities on the issues impacting rural peoples. This group also saw the peanut butter production shop and where cassava is processed into popular casabe bread. A third group went to see the Coladere cooperative. This is a small agricultural cooperative established by MPP and its members on land seized by the government from some of Duvalier's military officers after his overthrow in 1986. This is a 250-acre piece of land of which about 80 acres are under exploitation and the rest used as grazing land for cattle. MPP has a small cassava processing unit as well as an artisanal sugar mill. They also produce vegetables and sugar cane as well as moringa, a valuable nitrogen-fixing tree whose high-protein leaves are used to combat malnutrition as a powdered food supplement.

All the activities gave a pretty good sense of the kinds of things small farmers and landless peasants can do and are doing in a sustainable manner to produce food for themselves, their families, and a little surplus for market. A participatory history exercise helped break the ice further among the participants who added important events in each of the country histories represented, and showed some of the links and shared history among us all, including how the Haitian revolution and abolition of slavery there in 1804 may have impacted the plight of slaves held in the Spanish colony and in the U.S.

Sharing time allowed for exchanges of experiences and cross-fertilization among the participants. The exchanges were lively and there was excitement, as many visitors had never had such experiences before. The concept of "Jadin Pre Lakay", or backyard gardens as well as the "Lakou Chemin Lavi" (Road to Life Yard) with diverse vegetable productions, worm compost, small fish ponds, animal husbandry established on small scale production units were quite a demonstration that even without much space a lot of food can be produced sustainably without chemical fertilizer or insecticides, while the ecology is restored through reforestation of diverse fruit and firewood species to fulfill local energy needs, mostly for cooking.

The next day we heard a challenging presentation on the Food Crisis in Haiti by Chavannes himself and one on the global food crisis and related global financial crisis by a panel including a representative of the Dominican Republic National Articulation of Peasant Movements (ANC), Luis Cabrera, and Stephen Bartlett of Agricultural Missions staff. The presentations and accompanying debates were very lively and instructive. On the third day we spent the morning discussing in small groups strategies to restore food economies in Haiti and other communities in the US and the Dominican Republic. There was a call on Agricultural Missions to build on this study session to follow up with more actions in Haiti. Another proposal called for closer collaboration between Haitian and Dominican campesino coalitions pushing for agrarian reform. A proposal was developed, including elements from the three groups to be organized in a systematic and coherent manner. The proposal called for continuing relationship and accompaniment, networking and exchanges among participants.

Some of the significant themes discussed during the proceedings include the role of economic policy and the actions of international institutions such as the IMF and WB, as well as so-called 'free trade' agreements in decimating agricultural markets across the global south and in many parts of the global north as well. The actions of transnational corporations were also analyzed and critiqued, as well as the relative weakness in contrast of many global south governments, in particular that of Haiti and to some degree that of the Dominican Republic and El Salvador, among others. The current economic and political juncture in the world, and the issue of the global economic crisis also framed the discussions, but the structural nature of the issues was emphasized by all the presenters, and in much of the dialog in small groups. The sustainable agricultural practices witnessed in MPP communities were raised up as a significant alternative approach to food economics and production. Nevertheless, the need for fundamental shifts in governmental action and commitment in all countries represented, the enactment of a deep agrarian reform process that includes not just land distribution but support services, credit, technical assistance and infrastructural help and support for marketing, was raised repeatedly. The national campaigns in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic for agrarian reform were discussed in some detail, as well as the particular challenges grassroots movements face in both countries.

The study session ended on a high note of hope and excitement about new friendship and collaboration between Haitians, Dominicans and US citizens and grassroots groups. Many a Haitian indicated that this was the first such meeting they had attended with foreigners where they were not made to feel inadequate and somewhat in need of pity or of assistance. All expressed their appreciation at the high level of exchanges, and for the various things they learned from their visit and discussions. Warm appreciation was also voiced to the host, Chavannes himself and the staff of the MPP Training Center of Papay, for their hospitality, especially to the cooks for their excellent food during the duration of our stay. Sam Smith, a long time board member of Ag. Missions expressed the feeling of many US participants in the following statement:

" The Study Session with the MPP was beautiful. 'Beautiful' because of the passion for sharing among the participants. The logistical and personal elements--especially the balance & diversity of the participants--that went into it can be considered a template for future study sessions. The sharing was powerful because it took place within a gathering of equals with a common experiential background. In summary, it was obvious that nearly everyone was richly informed and stimulated by what they received from the others."