Sustainable Agriculture

Gulbert’s Story

As a child, there was a special place in my neighborhood, a mango orchard that welcomed everyone. Each season, we woke up early to pick mangoes, which we sold at the local market to help us save for important needs. I’ll never forget the joy of buying my first bicycle with the income I made during my first mango season.

In 2009, inspired by those early memories, I began planting mango trees myself. While working alongside local farmers, I saw the many challenges they faced: a lack of proper tools, limited knowledge about sustainable farming, and ongoing financial hardship.

Part of my response was to pursue a degree in agroforestry at the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes, Haiti. This education equipped me with the knowledge and tools to support farmers more effectively and began a dream about long-term solutions for sustainable land use.

Today, the mango trees I planted years ago are bearing fruit which helps not just for the land, but the next generation. Children now pick mangoes from those very trees, just as I once did. Some sell them to earn a bit of income, while others enjoy them as a healthy snack after school.

Since then, I’ve been offering training programs, distributing essential tools, and providing seeds and tree seedlings to local farmers. What started with one small orchard has grown into a vision to build stronger, more resilient communities through sustainable agriculture.

Current Work:

  • We are excited to partner with 40 farming families in the mountains around St. Jean du Sud, Haiti, walking alongside them as they grow diverse crops and plant fruit-bearing trees which will nurture both their land and their livelihoods for a brighter, more sustainable future.

  • We are developing a composting area to promote natural fertilization and restore soil health for local farms. By turning organic waste into rich compost, we help farmers nourish their land sustainably which will lead to stronger crops and healthier ecosystems.

  • As one of the key goals identified during a brainstorming session with our partner farmers, we are establishing a nursery for fruit-bearing trees to offer sustainable planting options. This nursery will serve as a vital resource, helping farmers diversify their crops, increase income opportunities, and foster long-term environmental health.

Our Path to a Sustainable Future

  • We are committed to planting 1 million trees over the next 10 years—focusing on fruit-bearing varieties that will not only restore the land but also empower farmers with new sources of income. Together, we’re nurturing a greener, more resilient future for farming families and their communities to flourish for generations to come. This foundation will eventually enable us to introduce coffee and cacao plants, opening doors to export opportunities and bringing greater economic growth to farming families and their communities.

  • We want to build up essential infrastructure to prevent soil erosion, preserving fertile land for farmers while nurturing the health of nearby oceans. By protecting both soil and marine life, we will help local fishermen continue to provide nourishing food for their families and communities.

  • Goat husbandry offers a practical and sustainable way to strengthen food security and household income. Goats are well-suited to Haiti’s environment, require minimal resources, and provide families with reliable sources of nutrition and income through meat, milk, and breeding.

  • We are working with our farmers to plant yams, cassava/yuca, and plantains which are more resilient in either times of drought or flooding. These crops are also very marketable which will allow farmers to increase their agribusiness.