Agriculture and Food

A memorandum of understanding was signed by government of Haiti (GOH) officials and a business investor, in anticipation of an Agricultural Free Zone (AFZ), Haiti's first. The AFZ will be developed in the town of Nourribo.

Signatories Trade and Industry Minister, Wilson Laleau; Directorate of Free Zones Director General, Rode Préval; and Agitrans CEO, Jovenel Moïse, say the project will produce 13,000 employment opportunities over a five-year span. Minister Laleau emphasized the Martelly-Lamothe government wants to support and foster ". . . rapid investment in all sectors". They also welcome more private investment in "structural projects in agriculture . . ."

Haiti, known as the poorest country in the western hemisphere, is a victim of food insufficiency. Causes are soil erosion and barrenness, mountainous terrain, and torrential rains. Of Haiti's ten million population, just over half consume an adequate diet. The rest suffer from malnutrition. One-third of crop yields rot because of inadequate processing methods, absence of storage houses, and transportation infrastructure.

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Food aid has been delivered to Haiti for the past 60 years, in two decades 1.5 million tons. Seven million people out of a population of 10 million suffer from hunger, and 1.5 million suffer acute chronic malnutrition. Infrastructure weaknesses, waste, and "the perverse effects" concerning food aid drive the crisis.

The government of Haiti (GOH) and outside donors pay no attention to the agricultural sector, pertaining to its growth and sustainability. The industry accounts for one-quarter of gross domestic product (GDP), but that figure has dropped. For many decades, scant investment from GOH and outside donors has occurred. Conversely, food-aid funding outpaces agricultural funding by more than 50%.

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A truly versatile meal that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, Plantain Purre or Labouyi Bannann is a favorite in Haiti. Its wholesome, filling portions make for a nutritious, appetizing treat.

What you will need:
• 1 plantain (green)
• 1 banana (ripe)
• 12 oz can of evaporated milk (soy milk can be substituted)
• 12 to 14 oz can of coconut milk, or 1 cup of regular milk
• 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 3 sticks of cinnamon
• 2 anise stars (whole)
• A pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1/2 a cup of sugar (can be either white or brown)
• 1/2 tsp. lime rind (grated) or 1/2 an inch lime rind (whole)

What you should do:
1. Peel the plantain and then cut it into slices of about 1/2 an inch in thickness.
2. Puree plantain slices in a blender with 2 cups of water and the ripe banana.
3. Bring plantain and banana puree to boil over low to medium heat and bring to a boil.
4. Add additional ingredients, evaporated or soy milk, coconut milk or regular milk, vanilla extract, anise stars, sugar, lime rind and nutmeg.
5. Bring to boil and stir occasionally.
6. Cook for 15-20 minutes until it becomes the consistency of oatmeal. Serve while still hot.

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Toussaint Coffee Liqueur, named for Haiti's liberator, Toussaint Louverture, is a more intense version of Mexico's Tia Maria and Kahlua. It is less sweet and contains a richer coffee flavor. A blend of Arabica coffee beans and aged Caribbean rum, with an alcohol content of 30%, it became popular in Europe and other import markets.

For undisclosed reasons, the Toussaint Coffee Liqueur brand was discontinued, and had not been available anywhere except perhaps on the island under another name. But Quintessential Brands, which owns the patent, transferred from its original creator, Anker Horn, signed a new licensing agreement with G&J Distillers to produce the liqueur with a new recipe as well as a redesigned bottle.

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They came with the promise of publicity to bring awareness to the plight of Haiti's food crisis. The idea was that they could raise awareness of the current conditions by touring facilities like the farmers market, snapping pictures of desperate adults and children and talking with the press in Haiti and abroad about the experience. However, one Haitian mayor wanted none of it, and wasn't afraid to protect what she viewed as the integrity of her town from the intrusive good-doing of two celebrity chefs.

John Besh, a finalist on the Food Network show, The Next Iron Chef, and Aaron Sanchez, who appeared on the shows, Heat Seekers and Chopped on the same network, flew in to Haiti on Sunday, July 28th and promptly toured one of the numerous settlements established by the homeless in the wake of the earthquake three years ago.

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An unconventional food-stamp practice has been occurring for months, perhaps years in the U.S. It has been discovered immigrants from the Caribbean region, including Haiti have been using their food-stamp allotments to send food to family back home.

Defrauders use their food-stamp debit cards to purchase food items impossible to find, or afford in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Haiti. They spend months filling 50-gallon barrels with $2,000 worth of food staples. The barrels aren't cheap, costing about $40. An additional $70 is required to ship the barrels to Haiti, a three-week journey. Even immigrants who can't get food stamps save for months on end to fill a barrel with essential food items to send back home.

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The Carnival of Flowers held in July 2012 was big success in Haiti and hence, the same will be repeated this year from July 28 through 30. The same leitmotiv "Yon Ayisyen, Yon pye bwa" will be there but with different décor. There will be flowers everywhere from Sylvio Cator Stadium to the Champ de Mars and will pass through Casernes street and Grand-rue. The Ministry of Culture is planning on this great event along with National Police, Secretariat of State for the Public Safety, Ministry of Tourism, the Primature and the Presidency.

Haiti News - Preparation pour le carnaval des Fleurs 2013

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The Haitian President Michel Martelly is working on his next career. In this picture, he is having the ingredients for making Tomtom mashed in a "pilon."

The regional dish Tomtom is unique to Jérémie and the Grand'Anse Department of Haiti. It is made of steamed breadfruit (lam veritab) mashed. One very important aspect of this dish is that you can't chew it. Tomtom is made into round balls and swallowed with a sauce made of okra (kalalou, Gombo) cooked with meat, fish, crab, and spices.

What you will need to make Tomtom ak Kalalou Gombo :
• 1 breadfruit
• 2 tbsp. pikliz
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 small onion (sliced)
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb okra (frozen or fresh)
• 1/4 lb of in-season seafood (pre-soaked salted fish or cooked fish or crab)
• 1 cup of djon-djon mushrooms
• 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
• Lemon zest
• 1 tsp garlic powder

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Haiti has been bracing for an extreme food shortage, and it is arriving as the June and July harvests are set to begin. This year's rainfall is anticipated to be well below average. The Spring-Summer harvest season is important because crop yields comprise two-thirds of the harvest that contributes to the island's yearly food output.

Other factors causing agricultural underproduction include 2012's drought and two major hurricanes that hit that year as well. Of the 10 million people living on the island, 75% of them exist on barely $2.00 a day. Of this figure, 1.5 million are suffering from malnutrition, 82,000 of them pre-schoolers. Unfortunately, the country experiences one of the highest levels of child hunger in the Western Hemisphere, which contributes to its high ranking on the failed states index.

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Dominican Republic and Haiti are located on the same island which has a long and troubled history. For centuries people in the two countries have shared common history and shared their cultures but now, the borders of the two countries are all heated up because of chickens! On 6th of June Haiti refused to import agricultural products from Dominican Republic. This event coincided with the DR's deportation of immigrants from Haiti on a large scale.

On either sides of the border the protests have increased to significant scale as a result of which, the foreign ministers of both Dominican Republic and Haiti have failed to reach an agreement. Activities of product and people crossing borders have completed stopped in two borders out of total four shared by the two countries. Even binational markets that used to operate daily have completely stopped operations.

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