Haiti - The peasants are ready for the harvest season

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Here is an update on activities for promoting fruit and vegetable crops, developed by Frères des Hommes and MPP: mango season is approaching, and vegetables are growing in demonstration plots!

Farmers are currently preparing the next mango harvest, which will take place between June and August. At the end of April, 6 farmers were trained in techniques of picking, selecting and packaging fresh mangoes for local markets and exportation. The process of drying mangos, at one time under consideration, has been ruled out: it is too expensive in propane gas (not easily available in Haiti). Farmers are currently considering the possibilities of turning mangos into nectar, using the pasteurization system, so that mangoes grown for 3 months can be eaten all year.

The vegetable plots installed in three Cooperatives have already helped to train farmers invegetable production techniques, using irrigation methods which function on the drip irrigation system. The marketing of vegetables produced on these plots serves to test new markets of commercialization for farming families. David Millet, volunteer for Frères des Hommes in Haiti, said: "On the vegetable plots we harvested magnificent tomatoes and peppers that farmers of the coop managed to sell. Tomorrow I am going to Port-au-Prince, to deliver 2 crates of aubergines to a large hotel whose head chef is French ... a first!"

Update: Tuesday 24 November 2009

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