With the support of the Freres des Hommes, the Papaya Peasant Movement (MPP) have created three orchards and demonstration land parcels devoted to the production of mangos and citrus fruits in Hinche, Maissade and Thomade on the Haitian Central High Plateau. Fruit plants are inexpensive and therefore within easy reach of the population.

The plants will then be given to more than a thousand families from April 2009 along with training and technical advice on the planting and maintenance of fruit trees. Each family will receive 20 fruit plants each. This will not only help them increase fruit production but also increase vegetation cover of the island, which in turn will help prevent deforestation, one of the main causes of erosion and the reduction in soil fertility and agricultural yield.

The MPP has also trained 30 farmers in the construction and management of orchards in the three zones covered by the project. These farmers are now capable of preparing fruit and forest plants and to market them. All of them have pledged to pass on their knowhow in orchard management to 12 others by next March. Thus, in a few months time, nearly 360 families will have been trained and by the end of the project, scheduled for 2011, 720 other families will have received this training.

The families recieve training to be able to grow fruits and mangos by them selves.

Peasant cooperatives are in charge of implementing project activities, such as the layout of the land parcels and orchard planning. All of them are directly involved in the project, with the MPP organising peasant meetings to help them in these activities. This strengthens the management and organisational capacities of these cooperatives, which are responsible for ensuring the continuance of these activities after the project is terminated.

A collective dynamic has already been created at the local level.