Farmers in Haiti are still recovering from the devastating Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development will be investing $10.8 million to help restore agricultural productivity on the island nation. The funds will be used to spread sustainable farming practices and technologies.
“Haiti’s rural population suffers from a vicious circle of low agricultural productivity, high environmental degradation, and poor nutrition,” said Lars Anwandter, who leads IFAD’s program in Haiti.
Over 2.1 million people were affected by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Together, natural disasters and weak agricultural practices have made it difficult for farmers to thrive. The United Nations’ reports as recently as February 2018 that 622,100 people in Haiti still need food security assistance. Haiti produces only 45% of the food that Haitians need. One of the goals of the influx of funding for farmers will be to break this cycle. The program has targeted 65,000 farmers and will focus on women, youth, and other vulnerable groups.
Roughly 40% of food loss occurs post-harvest, costing developing nations $310 billion a year.
Inadequate cold storage directly impacts food loss in the early stages of the value change. Aldelano Solar Solutions offers developing nations industrial-grade cold storage solutions that can be utilized by multiple farmers. Development groups have the power to purchase these solutions to support local farmers.
A single large-scale farmer can use the Aldelano Solar ColdBoxTM or it can be used in an entrepreneurial capacity by renting out space to multiple small-scale farmers. Solar equipment for developing nations should be easy to use, long-lasting and must not require heavy maintenance. Aldelano Solar Solutions offers robust equipment that comes ready-to-use and needs little to no maintenance. Aldelano also provides post-sale technical support to ensure users have easy access to any technical assistance anywhere in the world.
Poverty is not quickly resolved. Farmers must utilize sustainable practices that are suited to their environment and the risks they face. Aldelano Solar Solutions off-grid equipment can be adapted to satisfy the electrical requirements of any nation. The Aldelano Solar ColdBox, which offers farmers cold storage, can also come equipped with a Solar WaterMaker that produces clean water from moisture in the air. The Aldelano Solar WaterMakerTM is a life-saving answer for communities that face issues with contaminated water and little infrastructure.
Haiti’s farmers have faced extreme challenges, and many good intentioned organizations have donated equipment or tools that are not suited to their needs. Aldelano Solar Solutions listens to community needs to continually adapt off-grid equipment that can be used in even the most remote environments.