Last week we reported on the a decision by the USDA to block the importation of Haitian mangos because Haitian based inspectors were placed on leave due to security considerations. Below is a reflection on what this decision means for Gros Morne from Guy Marie Garçon, the chief agronomist & agronomy team coordinator for Karitas Pawas Lachandlè at the Jean Marie Vincent Formation Center.
[Vèsyon kreyòl anba]
In the past 15 years, the mango fransik trade has faced two big challenges. In 2007 the US Government decided to stop purchasing mangoes from Haiti, because they claimed that they had found live fly larvae in mangoes from Haiti. This decision was made in the middle of the mango harvest. After a lot of hard work and negotiating, the purchasing and selling of mangoes restarted with more oversight by the American Government. This oversight included : more rigorous selection of mangoes, a change in the method of mango preparation, and efforts to identify and then combat the flies that attempt to lay their larvae in mangoes during the mango production cycle. In order to ensure that these principles and rigorous selection criteria were respected, the US government made inspectors available to verify that these principles were respected.
Now in 2022, after about 15 years, American government officials say that the issue of insecurity has forced the inspectors to return to the United States. They announced that as of January 2023, the US will no longer purchase mangoes from Haiti. What will the impact of this decision be in Haiti? and more specifically what will the impact of this decision be in Gros Morne, the production center of mango fransik?
There will be many levels of impact, but let's consider how the impact will be felt economically, environmentally, and socially.
Economically
‘’The mango trade is all we have left. By attacking it, you will continue to plunge Haiti into the hell of misery and hunger.¨
Thousands of people work in the mango production chain, and they depend upon this trade as their principle livelihood. They count on the mango trade to send their children to school and to respond to their families ́ basic needs. Gros Morne provides almost half of the mangoes that are sold to the US. This means a large part of the Gros Morne economy depends upon the mango trade. Mango producers count on the mango trade each year to continue working in agriculture.
If the US suspends the mango trade, Gros Morne alone will lose between 5 and 8 million US dollars. Each person who is part of the mango production chain stands to lose not only their livelihood, but also hope for the future. Parents will not be able to provide for the education or health needs of their children. People who are indirectly connected to the mango trade via the greater Gros Morne economy will also suffer. An estimated 2.5 million cases of mangos will go to waste without a market. At least 140,000 Haitian families will be impacted by this decision - 120,000 directly, & 20,000 indirectly. Will Haiti be able to offer them alternative support? I highly doubt it...
Environmentally
‘’Mango production is the queen of agricultural production in Gros Morne’’
Mango production helps Gros Morne maintain a notable vegetation cover. It reduces the acceleration of erosion. All of these mango trees that remain standing today are standing tall primarily because the land owners, the mango producers, make enough money each year from their mango trees to show their value. and they hope that next year they will continue to earn a living from their trees. But if they cannot sell the mangoes that they produce, they will not make money from their mango trees. Many of them will choose to cut down their mango trees to make charcoal. If they do this, the agricultural production of the region will decrease, erosion will accelerate, and the land will not be able to produce enough food. This will ultimately lead to increased misery.
The waste of mangoes spoiling without a market will lead most farmers across the country to cut down their mango trees. All of the efforts that local organizations have made to support mango producers, all of the energy used and money invested, will be lost. Total agricultural production will decrease because fewer trees will mean less arable land.
Socially
‘’Attacking the mango trade reduces mango production. Reducing production puts Haiti in a state of increased poverty and hunger.’’
When the economy of the country contracts, producers are not able to sell their crops. If agricultural production then decreases, more people live in misery and hunger. The country will have even more people trapped in situations of delinquency, prostitution, and banditry, both in the rural regions and in the cities. More people will feel the push to leave the rural regions and migrate to the cities, without a place to stay, without a job, and without hope. More people will make the decision to leave the country by whatever means available to them. They will risk their lives in small boats on the sea in order to reach Nassau or Miami, but they will arrive there without hope for their future.
These social consequences are concerning for the future of the country. Food insecurity will quickly arrive at the level of famine in many parts of the country if this change is enacted in January 2023.
Recommendations
Haiti is facing a dire insecurity situation today. Gangs have grown to control areas in all regions of the country. This attack on the social fabric of the country is possible due to high levels of poverty, hunger, a poor quality of life for the majority of citizens, and the poor education system. We suggest the following tactics could be enacted to salvage the mango trade and support the limited agro-economy that exists, rather than suspending the trade completely :
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decentralize the mango treatment centers
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form and encourage more community groups and organizations to support all levels of the mango production chain
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the Haitian Government should redouble its efforts to work with USDA, APHIS, MARNDR, and ANEM*
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provide technical and logistical support for the mango trade
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increase overall mango production
* US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR, in English), and Association of Mango Exporters (ANEM, in English)
Mango Fransik, yon lò vè Ayiti a an difikilte
Nan 15 lane, mango fransik la pran 2 gwo enkyetid, nan lane 2007 gouvènman Ameriken an te pran desizyon pou li te sispann achte mango nan men Ayiti, paske yo di ke yo te twouve lav (vè) vivan nan mango kite soti Ayiti, desizyon sa te pran nan mitan moman rekòt mango a, aprè anpil dilijans ak pledwaye, aktivite vant ak acha mango yo te rekòmanse, men avèk plis egzijans Gouvènman Ameriken, pami yo : plis rigè nan seleksyon mango yo, chanje metòd tretman yo, travay sou idantifikasyon ak konbat mouch ki pote lav yo depi nan zòn pwodiksyon yo ; pou asire prensip ak rigè yo respekte, gouvènman oblije mete enspektè disponib sou plas pou kontwole respè prensip yo ak lòt ankò.
Lajounen jodi 2022, aprè 15 lane anviwon, pwoblèm ensekirite swivan sa responsab yo nan gouvènman Ameriken yo di, ap oblije enspektè yo retounen nan USA epi anonse nan mwa janvye USA pap achte mango nan men Ayiti ankò, ki enpak desizyon sa a, pral genyen sou peyi a ? prensipalman nan Gwomòn ki se zòn pi gwo pwodiksyon mango fransik la ?
Reson yo plizyè, men nap gade sak taka plis enkyetan: ekonomik, anviwònman, sosyal
Ekonomik
‘’Komès mango a, se sèlsa ki rete nou, atake li, se kontinye plonje Ayiti nan lanfè mizè ak grangou’’ Nan filyè mango a, plisyè milye moun travay nan chèn la epi viv de li kòm pi gwo travay yo genyen pou ane a, epi konte pou yo kapab voye pitit yo lekòl, reponn ak egzijans fanmi yo. Gwomòn sèlman konn bay preske mwatye nan mango ki ale vann nan USA, bon kou nan ekonomi Gwomòn repoze sou mango a. Pwodiktè mango yo, konte sou vant mango yo chak ane pou kontinye travay nan agrikilti a.si tout bon sa rive fèt, USA pa achte mango a, se plis pase 5 a 8 milyon dola ameriken Gwomòn sèlman ap pèdi, tout moun ki chèn filyè mango a a plage 2 bwa balanse, san soutyen, san avni. Timoun yo ap pèdi tout sipò paran yo nan lekòl, maladi ak lòt. Plizyè milye moun viv endirekteman d mango a, tout moun sa yo ap lage 2 bwa balanse. Se anviwon 2,5 milyon kès mango kap rete gaspiye nan peyia, ki pral pèmèt 140 000 fanmi nan tout peyia ki ap afekte (120 000 fanmi direkteman ak 20 000 nan chèn valè yo), eske Ayiti ap genyen ren pou sipòte koze sa a ? mwen pa kwè…
Anviwònman
‘’Pwodiksyon mango a se ren pwodiksyon agrikòl nan Gwomòn’’ Pwodiksyon mango a ede Gwomòn genyen yon kouvèti vejetal miyò, li ede redwi akselerasyon ewozyon an, tout mango sa yo ki rete debou la a, premye man se paske mèt tè yo, pwodiktè yo jwenn ase lajan chak ane nan yo, epi espere lòt ane yap kontinye jwenn dekwa viv nan yo, men, si yo paka vann nan yon mache mango yo pwodwi, yo yo paka fè lajan nan mango a, yo ap fini pa koupe yo pou fè chabon, e lè sa a, pwodiksyon agrikòl zòn lan ap bese, ewozyon an ap akselere plis, tè a pap kapab fè manje, donk yon ogmantasyon lamizè. Gaspiyaj mango sa a ap lakòz tout pye mango yo koupe, tout jefò anpil òganizasyon te fè pou ede plis mango pwodwi, tout enèji ak lajan ki te depanse pou ede plis moun antre nan pwodiksyon mango ap pèdi, pral genyen yon bès nan pwodiksyon agrikòl paske tè yo ap san pwoteksyon.
Sosyal
‘’Atake komès mango a, se redwi pwodiksyon an, se redwi ak kenbe Ayiti nan plis mizè nan plis grangou’’. Si ekonomi peyi a bese, pwodiktè yo paka vann sa yo genyen, si pwodiksyon agrikòl la bese, plis moun ak vini nan mizè, plis grangou, peyi a pral fè fas ak plis pwoblèm denlengans, pwostitisyon, plis zak banditis pral fèt nan tout zòn riral yo ak nan vil yo. Pral genyen plis moun ki oblije kite seksyon riral yo pou ale nan vil yo, san kote pou rete, san yon djòb, san espwa. Pral genyen tou plis moun kap kite peyia pran kanntè pou ale ekspoze vi yo nan lanmè pou ale naso Bahamas, Miami san espwa yap rive. Konsekans sosyal yo enkyetan anpil pou avni peyi a, ki menm menase gwo eksplozyon sosyal, kap grav anpil pou peyia, ensekirite alimantè app ran tout vitès li pou ale nan famin nan peyi sa a, si toutfwa mezi sa a rive aplike nan janvye 2023.
Kisa ki ta dwe fèt
Lajounen Jodi, Ayiti reyèlman nan yon sitiyasyon ensekirite grav, anpil miltiplikasyon gang nan anpil kwen nan peyi a, atak pasi pala ki ala baz lye a pwoblèm povrete, grangou, move mòd lavi pifò moun yo, pwoblèm edikasyon ak fòmasyon , konsa nou ankouraje genyen lòt travay ki fèt nan plas kanpe achte mango a, takou:
- Ede desantralize zòn detrètman mago yo
- Fòme epi ankouraje plis gwoup ak òganizasyon antre nan chèn filyè mango a, pou ranfòse flyè a
- Leta Ayisyen dwe pran responsabilitel pou ranfòse travay li ak gwoup sa yo USDA-APHIS-MARNDR-ANEM
- Akonpayman pou ogmante pwodiksyon mango a
Comments
Dcn. Art Donart... (not verified)
Make and export Mango Jam. It is delicious. This creates more jobs and value to your product.
Carolyn (not verified)
There are many of us Americans who love the poor Haitian people. Absolutely our US government should put every effort daily into keeping the mango trade going. The USDA should be smart enough to work with Haitian government to fix this mango export problem. Where there's a will there's a way. Do not delay.