NATIONAL REFORESTATION

​​The national reforestation program envisaged by CHFESDI constitutes an essential axis in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. This program will contribute to restructuring the country's vegetation cover through reforestation with timber and fruit trees throughout the national territory.

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Haiti has undergone a process of constant and disastrous deforestation over the last few decades, resulting in the country having the lowest vegetation cover rate in the Caribbean region. The soils are experiencing an unprecedented erosion phenomenon, and environmental degradation has made the population extremely vulnerable to natural disasters. Many social determinants of development, such as poverty, political instability, and the weakness of institutions, make attempts to address the issues of deforestation and soil degradation nearly impossible. Furthermore, the country’s desertification state has led some environmental policy advocates to speak of an ecological emergency in Haiti. More than 16,000 hectares of soil are lost to erosion each year, and the situation is worsening alarmingly due to continuous deforestation exacerbated by the population’s poverty.

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Moreover, the sources that feed urban centers are drying up, with a water supply rate of about 43%. Biodiversity is nearly nonexistent, and pollution caused by the increased accumulation of domestic and industrial waste is catastrophic.

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To help mitigate these environmental issues, CHFESDI will work in collaboration with national and international partners to implement environmental programs aimed at reducing pollution levels, increasing vegetation cover, promoting sustainable management of natural resources, protecting biodiversity, and managing waste. More specifically, CHFESDI will undertake the following interventions:

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Start a large national reforestation program in the country’s 10 departments.

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The proposed national reforestation program is a key focus in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. It will contribute to the restructuring of the country's vegetation cover through the reforestation of timber trees and fruit trees across the entire national territory. In fact, international donors have already funded many projects in this area, but it has become evident that the lack of coordination and collaboration between the involved entities has meant that these projects have not provided a sustainable solution to the country’s alarming deforestation and desertification issues. CHFESDI plans to go beyond the sporadic attempts of small-scale projects by launching a large, integrated reforestation program. We believe that the outcomes of this program will help address the problem in a sustainable manner. This will be a major national project, spanning several years, to ensure its effectiveness and to make it more attractive to donors.

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Indeed, solutions for guiding the country towards reforestation must address the problem comprehensively, and the conditions for success depend on the participation of all sectors of Haitian society. International funding is essential to the success of this program, which will create jobs across Haiti. CHFESDI intends to manage all actions of the proposed program prudently, transparently, inclusively, and selflessly. The short-, medium-, and long-term benefits must be distributed equitably and contribute to making Haitian society more equal. Demonstration, training, and research centers on reforestation techniques will be created, ideally in each region of the country. The main objectives of the national reforestation program are as follows:

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• Planning based on a participatory approach.

• Adoption of long-term goals.

• Identification and involvement of all stakeholders.

• Education and awareness of the population.

• Consultation and partnerships among all actors in the field.

• Priority use of local resources.

• Use of best practices and appropriate tools.

• Equitable distribution of responsibilities and benefits.

• Seeking all available funding sources.

• Adoption of realistic, continuously updated budgets.

• Establishing conditions to limit deforestation.

• Transparent dissemination of results.

 

Ultimately, with the support of the Haitian government and various concerned international actors, CHFESDI will establish a team of experts, including representatives from the government, social groups, peasant associations, involved NGOs, Haitian universities, the diaspora, and potentially, donors. The team will begin by identifying all stakeholders, namely: local populations, peasant organizations, other local or national associations, existing businesses or those wishing to establish themselves, different levels of government, NGOs, foreign governments involved in funding projects, other potential donors, both Haitian and foreign universities, schools, etc. It will also be essential to identify all existing projects that already include at least one reforestation component.

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