22978: Labrom: Re 22980 Farming ideas (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: jacqui Labrom <voyageslumiere@haitelonline.com>

>From voyageslumiere@haitelonline.com

I ran JDL's ideas by a friend of mine who was here for 10 years working
on farming programs and developing ideas for exporting such as cacao,
coffee, mangos etc.

Here's his response to JDL's suggestions:

"These farming ideas are basically good.  I like the corn idea. When we
were working with the irrigation scheme near Miragoine I suggested that
part of the land be used for off-season corn production to be used in
the maïs boucané trade.  I even asked one of the Texaco Star Market
owners if he was interested in marketing it.  Well, the irrigation
scheme did not materialise, so we did not get to push the corn idea.

Tomato is a good crop already with the little sauce-style tomatoes grown
just to the north of PauP. There is room for someone growing big
salad-style tomatoes and marketing them through the supermarkets.

Coconut is a wonderful idea as an addition to Haitian multicrop gardens
and lakou. I tried to get our group to import the hybrid seed from
Jamaica at one time, but could not get enough support.  I would hope
that somebody operating a nursery would work with a public-orientated
firm or group to make it happen. What I would suggest is for an
advertisement campaign to have individuals or groups sign up to purchase
part of a shipment of the hybrid seed. Once the shipment has been fully
subscribed it could be brought in and distributed. This could happen
repeatedly over and over.

I don't believe that anyone will plant coconuts in plantation style
arrangements because of the pressure on land in Haiti.

Ah, there are many things to do if only Haiti had a culture that
allowed/supported larger scale farms."


Jacqui Labrom

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