ARTICLE - MARTELLY - FEEDING PROGRAM

THE MARTELLY'S OFFICIALLY LAUNCH THE "ABA GRANGOU" PROGRAM
(Haiti Libre) -

President Michel Joseph Martelly and the First Lady of the Republic, Sophia Martelly officially launched Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at the National Palace, the National Programme for the Fight against Hunger and Malnutrition, "Aba grangou". Starting this year, 10,000 development officers will be mobilized throughout the country to each accompany 100 families.

The ceremony was attended by personalities and national and international institutions involved in this program, which aims to create conditions necessary to achieve a healthy diet for all Haitians, the implementation of concrete actions of emergency, and in the long term to break the vicious cycle of hunger and malnutrition by 2025.

In her speech, the First Lady, Sophia Martelly, appointed President of the Commission, will be responsible for coordinating and monitoring the activities of "Aba grangou"and she calls on the solidarity and action, of the international community, the private sector, civil society, community based organizations, and the church...

Speech of the First Lady, Sophia Martelly :

"I thank the President of the Republic for the confidence shown in me, and the members of the Commission. Of all the tasks entrusted to the Haitian State, that of working to eradicate hunger and malnutrition is perhaps the most ambitious; but also the noblest.

The role of civil society is fundamental. The community-based organizations, churches of all denominations and business organizations are all invited to take part in this task.

Working to fight hunger is a first step towards a stable and balanced society. The commitment of the Haitian State in this struggle is irreversible. With "Aba grangou," we will open, together, for our citizens, access to an adequate nutritious food, and to strengthen the mechanisms for the revival of local food production.

Together, we can build a better Haiti, a Haiti without hunger, a Haiti without malnutrition, a Haiti, where, our children can finally develop to their full potential.

Together, we can meet this challenge!

Haiti is too rich to be hungry."

For his part, the Head of State, believes that the fight against hunger is also one of a vicious circle of exclusion; a fight against the social and family disintegration, disease, despair, an increase in violence and the death of children. "Hunger can not wait" concluded the President of the Republic, who is asking for concrete results.

"Dear Compatriots,

To the Haiti who suffers but does not complain.
To the hungry in Haiti.
It is to you that I am speaking.

It is for you that Aba Grangou is created. To those who struggle from morning to night, but do not earn enough to eat healthily and sufficiently. It is for you that Aba Grangou is created.

Is to you that I dedicate most of my action and that I devote my energy.

I do not come crying for you.

We have cried too long for you but not enough has been done for you.

I would just rather tell you that the Haitian state has ceased to capitulate before your suffering, that the state has ceased to sit back, that your state does not want to be out of economic and social policy.

I do not come to talk to you of assistantship. I come to put into practice the obligatory solidarity, the basis of all social justice.

I come reconciled around "Aba grangou" those who win and those who suffer, those above and those below.

To all those that have been taxed, too long taxed without accountability; none, I e say: your contributions are not lost, they are part in part of this chain of solidarity.

Haitians,

The economic and social policy that I have an impulse for is simple: Not one of you will be abandoned or left without recourse.

This policy, is at the heart of my family, it is part of our convictions. We have worked for over 18 years for this.

It is therefore in this same spirit, that I applaud today the launch of the program for the fight against hunger and malnutrition, "Aba grangou".

This program will create the necessary conditions for the reduction of half of the population suffering from hunger by 2016 and eradicate hunger by 2025.

"Aba grangou" is the result of six months of volunteer work by the First Lady. I would like to thank her. It is also the work of a technical team bringing together professionals from 9 Ministries, 7 autonomous organizations, the Haitian Red Cross and Parliamentarians sensitive to this noble cause. They are here and we thank them publicly and specifically.

It is the synthesis of a joint effort that involvs many partners and the participation of representatives of the United Nations, NGOs, grassroot organizations and experts in food safety. They are honored."

Designed in three strategic axes consisting of social security programs, agricultural investment, and improvement of basic services, the program "Aba grangou" mobilizes 9 ministries, 7 independent organizations, the Haitian Red Cross and will implement 21 government programs that will be federated, strengthened and harmonized.

The main objectives of "Aba Grangou" are:

To benefit one million vulnerable mothers and individuals by money transfers and food;

To permit one million children less than 5 years old to benefit from nutritional programs;

Facilitate access to one million small farmers to agricultural programs, facilities for the storage of crops, and tanks for water storage;

Accompanying 200 private investors, of medium size, for the development of agricultural sectors, on uncultivated state-owned land. »

In 2012, the Commission for the Fight against Hunger and Malnutrition, "Aba grangou" will support the preparation of a National Nutrition Policy, a National Policy for school feeding and a National policy on a social safety net. It will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, by constituting contingency food stocks at 35 points in the territory, for 100,000 people, towards a greater investment in the agricultural sector of 6 to 10% of the Treasury.