Food security and enhanced resilience for vulnerable communities affected by the earthquake in Nippes, Haiti
Nippes, West| Haïti
Project context
On August 14, 2021, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Haiti, causing significant human, material, and economic damage. The Nippes department was among the hardest-hit areas. Thousands of families lost their homes, livelihoods, and food supplies.
In this region where agriculture is the main source of income, the disaster has exacerbated a situation already marked byclimate vulnerability ,environmental degradation , anda lack of access to basic services . Rural households, dependent on seasonal harvests, have seen their land devastated and their crops compromised.
Faced with this reality, AHAAMES , in partnership with Malteser International Americas , initiated a project aimed at restoring food security and strengthening the resilience of affected communities. This project is part of an integrated approach to sustainable recovery, combiningagricultural support ,training , andthe promotion of environmentally friendly and climate-resilient practices.
Project objective
This project aimed to reverse the ongoing degradation of the two ecosystems (at the CBC level, the intervention focused on a portion encompassing two of the three municipalities, namely Petit-Trou and Baradères) through a technical synergy involving AHAAMES, ANAP, and a Colombian NGO, ABIUDEA, within the framework of South-South cooperation. The project's objectives were to reduce human pressure on mangrove ecosystems by developing and/or strengthening alternative income-generating activities for social groups that currently encroach upon the mangroves; supporting the creation of favorable conditions for natural regeneration and the active restoration of forest clearings; and strengthening the capacities and expertise of AHAAMES, ANAP, and experts and institutions in Haiti working in mangroves through the exchange of techniques and knowledge via workshops, technical missions, and thematic training.
Specific project objectives
The project is being implemented in Haiti and Colombia. The objectives and expected results of the project in Haiti are as follows:
1) The income of 705 beneficiary households is increased by 20% through the creation of alternative income opportunities;
2) The renaturation of 40 hectares of mangroves helps to safeguard the natural resources that provide income for the target group.
Results and deliverables
Result 1: Sustainable economic alternatives are created and/or strengthened for communities living on the edge of mangrove forests in Nippes and Cité Soleil (Haiti)
– Income-generating measures/activities are defined and implemented for 705 households;
Result 2: 50 hectares of mangroves are renatured in Nippes and Cité Soleil (Haiti).
- One sustainable renaturation plan for 40 hectares of mangrove forest (40 in Nippes, 0 in Cité Soleil) is developed and implemented.
- Two local mangrove committees (two in Nippes, zero in Cité Soleil) are created and trained.
- Sixty percent of the population shows a significant change in their knowledge and attitudes toward the importance of mangroves.
Result 3: Best practices (new knowledge, good practices, and lessons learned) for the protection and enhancement of mangroves in Nippes, Cité Soleil (Haiti) are identified through the joint work of expert groups and reinforce the quality and sustainability of the intervention.
– 1 national platform for exchanges on mangroves is created;
– 1 compendium on experiences and good practices in the protection and enhancement of mangroves in Haiti is prepared and published to make this knowledge accessible;
Result 4: Capacity building for the local partner organization AHAAMES in Haiti contributes to the sustainability of the project.
– AHAAMES' expertise in the areas of income-generating activities, mangrove management, climate change adaptation, gender mainstreaming, and multi-level approaches is developed.
Institutions/Actors/Roles
Implementing organizations: Haitian Association for Agricultural, Medical, Educational, and Social Assistance (AHAAMES)
Partners: Malteser International Americas, local authorities
Location: Haiti, Nippes department, Petit-Trou-de-Nippes commune (3rd communal section of Lièvre), Baradères commune, and L'Asile.
Funding amount: €1,150,000.00.
Project duration: 48 months