Author: potapiman

Environnement

Source:http://www.haitiregeneration.org/mvp_scope.

The watershed area is in a severe and ongoing state of environmental degradation. Pressure from a burgeoning population and continual vulnerability to natural disasters perpetuates a decrease in forest cover and an increase in agricultural cultivation on steep slopes. Preservation of the Port-à-Piment watershed is paramount, as it is located at the base Pic Macaya National Park, one of the largest remaining forested areas in Haiti and a priority conservation area in the country.

The joint pressures of charcoal production and subsistence agriculture create challenges for sustained environmental recovery. The driving objective of this program is to alleviate some of the environmental pressures on the land and the population while helping reverse the degradation cycle in the long-term.

Strategies to Achieve MDGs 7 & 8 – Ensure Environmental Sustainability and Develop a Global Partnership For Development.

The overall objective for the environment sector is to stop and reverse the trends of environmental degradation across the watershed. Interventions will focus on new techniques for sustainable charcoal production and restoring ecosystem services through innovative payment schemes and education campaigns. For the initial year, projects are planned to promote better land use management while also building anti-erosion structures and creating nurseries for appropriate long-term re-vegetation. A long-term goal is to implement flood reduction programs to help reduce the risk of erosion and floods. Disaster risk management is a key priority in Port-à-Piment, as in Haiti as a whole, and many of the cross-sectoral interventions will intersect in the environmental sector.

Infrastructure and Energy

Source:http://www.haitiregeneration.org/mvp_scope.

In the last five years a new paved road was completed connecting the town of Port-à-Piment at the base of the watershed to the main cities in the South Department. Water piping systems are in the process of being repaired by the Government-run water company DINEPA. Cell phone coverage reaches the main town, though the coverage is limited within the upper watershed areas. While these are signs of tremendous progress, their benefits have been limited to the coastal areas. Additional work will be needed to extend these improvements so that their impact can be felt across the broader watershed area.

The energy sector in Port-à-Piment is directly linked to the environment. It is estimated that most watershed residents participate at least occasionally in the production of charcoal, which is primarily sent to large urban areas such as Port au Prince. This is an unsustainable system to supply energy for the growing population demands, given that charcoal production is the primary driver of deforestation in the country. Access to electricity as an alternative is very limited, and those households that are privileged enough to be connected to a local mini grid are still unable to depend on continuous provision of service.

Strategies to Achieve MDGs 1 & 7 – Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger and Ensure Environmental Sustainability.

The energy sector will focus on achieving sustainable charcoal production and promoting charcoal alternatives. Specific interventions to provide alternative sources of energy will include a rechargeable LED lantern program that incorporates small business development, a household cookstove program, and the development of small-scale electric grids. The Government of Haiti and the Interamerican Development Bank have selected Port-à-Piment hospital for the installation of a solar photovoltaic system to power lights, instruments, vaccine refrigerators and other vital equipment