Haiti Soil Survey and Natural Resources Conservation Initiative - Opportunities and challenges

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République d’HaïtiRepiblik d’Ayiti

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Opportunities and Challenges Promoting Soil Survey Technology Transfer in Haiti

Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference July 28, 2015, Greensboro, NC

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Background• Haiti covers 27,500 Km2

• West of the Dominican Republic

• Population ~ 10- 12 million people – ( 3 million in Port-au-Prince)

• Administratively:• 10 Departments (Regions)

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Farming – Mainstay of Haitian Economy• About 60% of population make a living

off the land• 1/3 of land suitable for farming• Average farm size ~ 1 ha or 2.5 acres• Combination of grain crops, roots and

tubers and fruit trees• Major drought in 1985 (Food imports)• Earthquake in 2010 Haiti DRC

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Rational

Build capacity within the Haiti Ministry of Agriculture to provide leadership and create partnerships to conduct soil survey and develop soil information delivery tools

Objective

Following 2010 Earthquake in Haiti President Obama directed government agencies to contribute toward the recovery effort and a sustainable future for the people of Haiti.

As the Agency with a mandate for natural resources conservation, NRCS/WSR proposed the Haiti Soil Survey and Natural Resources Initiative

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Fact Finding Mission in 2010– National Priorities• Short term goals• Long-term goals

– Natural Resource Concerns

– Soils information technology• Foundation for natural resources Conservation• Improved agricultural productivity• Environmental Stewardship and climate change mitigation

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Potential Partners• Ministry of Agriculture (Leader)• Environment• Public Works• Health• Territorial Administration• Planning • CIAT• CNIGS• Universities and Technical Schools

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Deliberations• What is a soil survey• Why soil survey• Who uses soil survey• How to conduct a soil survey• Timelines, scope, duration• Costs, (cost share)

– Human resources needs – Facilities, Equipment and Transportation

• Roles and responsibilities • Memorandum of Understanding

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Stake Holder’s Conference - Needs Assessment

• Soil Surveys• Creation of a GIS/GPS Unit• Data base• Biodiversity • Modeling /validating soil erosion• Soil Conservation• Wetland mapping and mitigation • Etc , Etc, Etc

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Natural Resource Concerns• Salinity/sodicity• Soil Erosion• Low crop yields• Flash Floods• Stoniness• Water Management• Soil Quality• Foundation failure

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Cochran Fellowship Study TourHaitian Leaders and Specialists visited the US in 2013 5 National Leaders 3 GIS specialists 3 Database managers 1 University faculty member 1 Soils laboratory director

3 days in Washington DC

1 week in Lincoln for Leaders

2 Weeks in Lincoln for specialists

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Haiti Soil Survey Training February 17- March 6 2014

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Field Data Collection Campaign 92 of 150 points were visited, described and sampled 13 Samples were described and sampled for full soil characterization

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Pedon Sampling

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Award Ceremony

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Soil Orders in Pilot Area

• 10 soil series • 11 map units • 3 Soil Orders

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Profile Examples

Dleudon seriesBel Fontaine seriesJacquet series Haut Boën series

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Haiti Pilot Soil Survey Deliverables

Manuscript

Web Soil Survey

SoilWeb

Detailed soil Map

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End of Project Conference• High level NRCS Representation - Associate Chief for Conservation - Leader, World Soil Resources - Director, International Programs• Minister of Agriculture• Strong Feed the Future Representation for USAID• Presentations by Haitian scientists WebSoil Survey; SoilWeb, RUSLE2, Soil MapsHeavy participation by locals farmers on field visit

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Impact of the Pilot Project• Government expressed satisfaction• Satisfied partners and trainees• Capacity Building Efforts • Training requests– Expansion of project– Continued technical support

• FOHNDAD continuing activities

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Opportunities • Know Haitian Soils Capabilities/Limitations• Estimate soil erosion rates develop alternatives• Improve soil water and nutrient management• Improve soil health, fertility etc.• Improve crop and biomass productivity• Improve air and water quality (waterdshed)• Improve biodiversity / Improve wildlife habitat• Develop Sustainable lands use strategies

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Building Partnerships• Ministry of Agriculture and others ministries• University partners• Geospatial center• CIAT• WINNER / FOHNDAD (their training centers)• USAID Haiti / FAS • Farmers A

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Credits• Soil Science Division• World Soil Resources• National Soil Survey Center• NRCS (CA, DC, NC, NE, SD, HI, PR, SSR3) (Haiti Team)• International Agriculture Programs• FAS; USAID –DC; USAID-Haiti• MARDNR• WINNER, CIAT, CNIGS, Public Works laboratory• University of Haiti. UNIV of NE Lincoln, UC Davis• Governor’s Office, NE, Senators’ Offices-NE

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04/18/2023

Challenges: Coordination

Pilot Soil Survey

This is Exhausting

Tète Chaje

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Challenges - Regulatory• Shipping equipment and materials to Haiti• Custom clearance• Transit times for shipment• Shipping soils to the US

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Opportunities for Collaboration

Resource inventoriesSoil water ConservationSoil HealthNutrient managementLand use planningClimate change mitigationReforestation

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Future Plans• Minister has submitted requests for extension and continued NRCS technical assistance• NRCS will submit proposal to FAS/USAID 7/29• FAS/USAID evaluating plans for FY16/17• Work with other collaborators• Disseminating Haiti Soils Information (Haiti)– Conferences:• World Soil Congress (Jeju, S. Korea - 2014)• ASA Meetings (Long Beach CA - 2014)• SWCS Conference ( Greensboro, NC - 2015)