ARTICLE - 76 FARMERS TRAINED

76 YOUNG FARMERS TRAINED IN AGRO ECOLOGY, RETURN HOME
(Haiti Libre) -

After a one year exchange promoted by Via Campesina, a group of 76 young Haitian farmers (54 men and 22 women) will return to Haiti Wednesday, September 14, 2011, with a greater knowledge of the practices in rural areas. Participants during their stay, were able to access among others ... techniques of agroecology, the cooperative structure, and the operation of camps and colonies...

These young Haitian farmers, are social movement activists in Haiti, from the ten departments of the country.

Gean Paula de Souza, member of the teaching staff, responsible for the exchange, stated that the first month the young Haitians were able to learn the Portuguese language by taking courses at the National School Florestan Fernandes (NSFF) of the Movement of Landless Workers (MST), and have had contact with the peasant movements in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

They were then divided within eight Brazilian states [Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Espirito Santo, Bahia, Sergipe et de Pernambuco]. This second phase lasted five months. "The idea was to let them know about the operation of cooperatives, how they are formed, how they organize workers and to teach them the strategies of movement and organization. Thus, they can return to Haiti and guided by these methods, strengthen their organizations" reported Geanie Paula de Souza.

"For the last step, the group was split into two groups in the states of Parana and of Sergipe, where the young farmers have taken courses in agroecology techniques. They learned how to treat the soil and protect the environment, and how to treat water sources; to ensure their conservation."

At the end of this cycle of one year, notes Geanie de Via Campesina, the youth have made a fairly positive assessment of this course. "There was a lot of learning and solidarity. For us it is very important because it shows, for those who believe that in Haiti there is nothing, there are many interesting things and that there are some people struggle for a better country.

According to Geanie Paula de Souza, the first group of Haitians was originally planned to be a group of 150 people, but the high cost prohibbeted the achievement this goal. However, the idea of the ​​movement is to continue the action. A new group of 30 young Haitians should arrive in Brazil in early 2012.

Learn more about La Via Campesina :
La Via Campesina is an international and intercultural organization that co-ordinates national and regional organizations of small farmers, of rural dwellers, landless peasants, agricultural workers, indigenous peoples, fishermen, artisans and immigrants.

This autonomous movement, multicultural, multiethnic and pluralistic seeks first to change the agricultural production, consumption patterns, the role of women, education, health, environment, etc...