Farmers Provide Fresh Milk to Haiti Schools

Providing to a community in need is nothing new to farmers. It has been a year already since the horrible earthquake in Haiti left millions homeless and hungry. The World Food Program has launched a pilot project where local farmers supply milk to schools in their area to help the farmers gain a foothold on their local market while they are providing much needed nutrition to the children. One of those farmers is Jean Claude Belizaire in Port-au-Prince.

In addition to the milk from his own herd, Jean Claude collects the milk from neighboring farms and brings it in plastic containers to the local dairy at Bon Repos. This is one of 13 dairies that belong to Haiti’s Lèt Agogo co-operative of small producers. Farmers receive 75 gourdes (around $2.00) per gallon.

“This is a great way for small producers like me to do business,” says Jean Claude who gets paid extra for being a collector. “It’s been a very hard year but at least dairy farmers around here have a secure market for their milk.”

Milk is an important staple of the Haitian diet but many Haitians have no choice but to buy expensive imported varieties – or go without. With an estimated half a million cows in Haiti, there is huge scope for increased domestic production and it is farmers like Jean Claude Belizaire who are showing the way.” Source: Pilot Project Puts Fresh Milk On School Meals Menu | World Food Program USA

*Photo courtesy World Food Program