Haiti Urban Garden Project

After the profound impact of World War II on the American economy and nearly every other aspect of American life, the United States Agricultural Department urged all Americans to grow “victory gardens” to produce fresh fruits and vegetables for their kitchens.

Many Americans answered the call and soon victory gardens were being planted in backyards and on rooftops across the nation. By 1943, over 20 million victory gardens had been planted producing some eight million tons of food and nearly 50 percent of all fresh vegetables consumed in the U.S. RWF is funding a project in Haiti that hopes to have similar results, helping families living in the poorest slums of Gonaives fight against poverty and malnutrition by establishing and nurturing kitchen vegetable gardens.

Rainbow World Fund (RWF) is once again partnering with CARE to fund a project in Haiti that hopes to have similar results. The Haiti Urban Garden Project seeks to improve the food supply and income-earning potential for struggling families in this devastated region of the country. Targeted households will use composted waste to grow small vegetable gardens. Located in backyards, on rooftops and even front porches, these gardens will yield fresh vegetables and fruits and surplus income for project participants. As a result, participating communities will have better diets, income from the sale of vegetables and an improved environmental situation through more robust sanitation efforts. The project is also encouraging people to come up with innovative solutions to create cleaner and healthier neighborhoods. One example of this is how old tires previously were discarded on roadsides, they are now given new life as containers for growing vegetables.

The project is based in Gonaives (and surrounding communities), an extremely impoverished part of Haiti populated by many families from rural areas who migrated there in search of a better life. The residents are still struggling to rebuild their lives following the lethal 2004 hurricane that left most of the city’s neighborhoods, particularly its low-lying slums, under water. An average family in Gonaives survives on less than a dollar a day, and the bulk of that goes to food.

In order to ensure the success of the gardens, technical training will be provided to the farmers and their family members. Topics included planting techniques, compost preparation, green manure utilization, and tips for garden upkeep and maintenance. Cross-visits will be arranged between participating farmers, which allowed additional opportunities for hands-on learning and problem solving. Several hundred people are expected to benefit from this project.