GEO Haiti 2010

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GEO HAITI • 2010 112 Figure 60: Soil Erosion Risk Source: CNIGS, 2009 Soil erosion is present in almost all regions of the country. Some are more affected than others, such as Grand’Anse, Southeast, West, Artibonite, North and Northeast, at risk of very severe erosion (Figure 60). The problem is increased by the loss of the soils’ physical and chemical properties and, consequently, of their productive capacity. This progressive annual decrease has led to a shortfall in the agricultural productive sector (FAO, 2001), which until now had been the mainstay of the Haitian economy (REPUBLIC OF HAITI, 2001). This situation may be attributed to several factors. 5.2 Questionable Management of Agro-ecological Systems 5.2.1 Destruction of Plant Cover As mentioned previously, Haiti has been undergoing sustained deforestation and land clearing for several decades, which has led to an unprecedented catastrophe in the history of a continent nevertheless well-known for its vegetation reduction. Few geographical areas in the country have been spared. However, the uneven topography of the territory predisposes naturally to erosion, and, as a result, with the heavy rainfall in this tropical zone (average 1,400 mm/year), the country’s mountainous slopes are subject to soil erosion by water. Figure 61: Degradation of Plant Cover on Steep Slopes Source: Jean Vilmond Hilaire 2007
State of the Environment Report 2010 5.2.2 Inadequate Farming Techniques Agriculture, as mentioned, is one of the most important economic activities in Haiti, despite the many challenges the country has faced over the years. Agricultural practices are traditional and generally not convenient and new areas are often cleared out in forestry areas. These practices therefore contribute to the physical degradation of soils, notably through erosion, which reduces their physical and chemical capacities and, consequently, of their productivity levels. • Too short fallow periods For the reasons mentioned above, farm incomes have declined steadily over decades and can no longer meet the needs of the farmer and his family. In order to try to counteract this situation, the farmer will seek more and more land, use intensive farming methods and lessen the duration of the fallow period 49 . This practice, once common in Haiti, has been significantly reduced to the point that it has almost disappeared (ROOSE, 1994). Nowadays, the least fertile land is left fallow for a year or two after a crop cycle of one to two years, while the most productive “benefit” from a fallow period of between two and six months (ROOSE, 1994). This situation has contributed to the decline in soil fertility. According to HILAIRE (1995), soils in Haiti have lost 75% of their productive capacity. • Slash-and-burn fields Haitian agriculture also suffers from a poor use of inputs such as fertilizers. For example, in Haiti, only 19,000 tons of fertilizers were used in 2003 (FAO / WFP, 2005). This obviously contributes to the weakening of agricultural productivity and, ipso facto, there is a consequent fall in revenue. The farmer who is unable to access fertilizers, an important element of production, will therefore use practices such as the slash-and-burning of fields in order to improve soil quality. Despite the lack of reliable data on the issue, but taking into account the extent of the practice, there is no doubt that significant amounts of farmland are thus affected in Haiti. It is well known that this harmful practice contributes to the degradation of soils, exacerbates the erosion phenomenon (SAFFACHE, 2001) and increases the loss of the productive capacity of soils in Haiti (ROOSE, 1994). • Inefficient land-use Land management in Haiti, a largely mountainous country, repeatedly has been considered inefficient. It manifests itself by an irrational utilization of land, by the farming on slopes without the use of adequate soilprotection techniques, and by the building of settlements not compliant with regulations. This type of land management has persisted in the mountainous areas in Haiti, a situation worsened by demographical pressure. 5.3 Significant Impacts 5.3.1 Soil degradation Soil degradation in Haiti, essentially manifest through its erosion and depletion, is considered as being responsible of a crisis extending well beyond agriculture. According to EMMANUEL et al (2007), the Cul-de-Sac Plain, affected by salinity as a result of excessive pumping, is a clear example of the possible impact of this problem, on agriculture as well as on other human activities in the area. A similar study was conducted on the coastal aquifer at Malpasse, which showed a high concentration of salt in both subterranean and ground water. 113 49 In the 1960s, Paul Moral, in a now classic publication, The Haitian Peasant (1961), highlighted this situation.
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