Progress in Haiti - Vetiver System Development and Plant Suppliers

Progress in Haiti is always exciting especially when the Vetiver System is expanding in area and application.  One farmer wrote:

"Beginning next month, I will initiate the planting of 400 Km of hedgerows on 400 Ha in Arcahaie, and will promote sweet sorghum and moringa as intercrops to stabilize food security in the area. This two year program will also include support for cash crops like mangoes, and cashew nuts. We will also test saffron.  I will install a 2 ton per hour  press to pelletizer for vetiver leaves, and a stove production unit (biochar gassifier), to offer the biomass stoves + the biocombustible. I also propose evaluating the vetiver leaves as a media for mushroom production. (note the image above shows mushrooms growing on vetiver media in Fujian, China.  It is reported that the vetiver media is far superior to rice straw.Ed.).  I will also produce Pleurotus sp. under modern conditions.  Pleurotus, contrary to most of other mushroom spores, can inoculate a medium with a pH of 11. That means small farmers will be able to dip the vetiver leaves in a calcium hydroxide lime bath, instead of pasteurizing it."

Here are two contacts that can supply vetiver plant material and good advice too:

Joel Ducasse -- biorsa@yahoo.com , Phone: 509-3826-7675. has a large multiplication nursery (in Arachaie-Cabaret, West of Port-au-Prince) and anothyer at Ennery, both can produce 200,000 slips a week, he also sells Vetiver by "the meter" and has employees that can plant and installs.

Luders Junior Luc -- luc_luders@yahoo.fr  Tel:509 3450 4444 Luders is the Vetiver Coordinator for WINNER project; has helped establish smaller independent rural nurseries around the Northern part of Haiti. He is super busy, but also very helpful, and can get trained people in VS to provide coaching or technical support.