Haiti – Dominican Republic - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP

Lacking productive topsoil this land in Haiti is now barren and no longer suitable for farming.© UNEPthe area. Faced with a failure to secure sufficientfood and income from crops, Haitian farmers in theborder region, as elsewhere, look for other sourcesof income, like charcoal production, or migrate tothe cities or across the border to the DominicanRepublic. In addition land degradation leads towater shortages, which in turn reinforce povertyand help to drive the rural exodus.The long term result of this destructive cycle ishighly visible throughout the hills of Haiti in general,and in the border zone in particular. The hillsidesare a patchwork of cropped fields, and bare,degraded, or partially recovering land with short,rough vegetation. Sheet erosion has removed alarge percentage of the topsoil and deep rills andgullies are prevalent.A near total absence of erosion control measuresfor cleared land on slopes is another drivercausing land degradation, 202, 203 as is tree cuttingfor energy – both charcoal and fuel wood, andincluding the practice of burning the forest to justifythe cutting of dead trees (dealt with in more detailin chapter five).It is important to note that destructive land useand land degradation is also common on theDominican side of the border. The key differenceswith Haiti are that the land degradation is morelocalized and the cycle is generally at an earlierstage. Destructive practices are used mainlyby Haitian immigrants, albeit often workingin co-operation with Dominican landowners.Nonetheless, based on observed trends, selectedparts of the Dominican Republic are headinginto exactly the same severe land degradationsituation as is observed in Haiti.4.5 Transboundary agricultureThe main direction of people engaged in transboundaryagriculture is from Haiti to the DominicanRepublic. The large majority of farmers andagricultural laborers in the Dominican Republic ingeneral, and in the border zone in particular, areHaitians, most of them having come to the countryillegally. 204, 205 Their main agricultural practice isslash and burn, and their main crop is beans. 206Some of them farm as tenants or sharecroppers,others squat on private or public land – includingHaiti – Dominican Republic: Environmental challenges in the border zone51