Milot (North)
Participants:
- Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop
- Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop
- Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop
- Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop
- Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop
- Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop
- Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop
- Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop
- Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop
- Partisipant(S); male or female; participated without identifying the number associated with their names
_ Chairs are moving around_
How are you all doing?
Sevral Partisipants(M,F): Great.By the grace of God were fine. We are good.
We are very happy to sit down and talk with you a today in Ti Bo for a study that we are doing for CRS on cocoa. _Car is passing by._ Among all the cooperatives that are located here in the North; this cooperative had been selected for this study. Throughout this study we will be talking to sevral members of this cooperative but not all its members will be reached because we will not be able to talk to very single one of you. Your names had been selected randomly for this meeting. In this meeting today, we will be talking about cocoa. We have series of questions we will be asking, everyone can participate and give their own opinions. My name is Pharrel. We have with us:
Nahomie Jeannis : Nahomie
Renande Innocent : Innocent Renee Renande
Let’s get started. We have a method that we used for a participant to answer a question; the paper you have in your hand have a number on it, please raise that paper each time you want to answer a question. Everyone will have enough time to answer each question that will be asked. If someone is answering a question and you feel that they are giving the wrong answer don’t interrupt him let him talk. After he finishes you will have your chance to give your own opionion. Each one of us have our own way of understanding certain things. That is why there are no wrong answers to any question we will be asking.Ok?
Sevral partisipants (M,F): Ok. We agree. Yes. No problem. Ok
Partisipant (M): What is your position or fuction?
Us? We are a group of researchers who are doing a survey on the cocoa production. This survey is being done for CRS and we are working together with Fecano.
Partisipant (M) :Aaahh, research? Ok.
Ok. Can we start?
Several participant (M, F) : Yes, yes, yes.
Why is cocoa good?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: Why is cocoa good ?It’s good for hot chocolate and we sell it to make money and raise our kids.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: Cocoa itself, hummmm,according to some studies from other countries cocoa is good. It’s readied food. It’s good for medicine. It’s good to be fermented and send to be sold on the international market to make more money.
Would someone like to add something else?
#4 Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: As for cocoa we call it something that chages people’s lives. When you produce cocoa and get some cash it gives you a happy heart.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Well, actually cocoa can be considered as, I can say it presents God_ laughing _. Because since I was little, I grew up in the production. I see it as advancement for eduction and also for my life. Cocoa has done many things for this country, cookies are made from it, hard candies are made from it, it made…._car is driving by can’t hear next thing made from cocoa_. It makes all kind of different things that can help the Haitian people in Haiti. That is why I consider cocoa as hummmm; I don’t have the word for it. I can say it represents God. Anyways cocoa represents a lot of things for us.
Patisipant (F) : The Almighty God!??
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Well, I don’t know, maybe if there is hummmm. Correct if I am wrong!
Do you eat cocoa? If yes, how do you eat it?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: If we eat it ? How do we eat it? We grind it, toast it and make chocolate. We make all kind of different things. When we want to know if it tasts good, we put some seeds and our month and shew them to see if it’s good quality. We see it as something special.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Tablet[68] are sometimes made from cocoa.
Number #4 , would you like to say more ?
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Yes cocoa, we eat cocoa in cookies, in tablet. People from abroad…_Surveyer starts talking.
Do you make these preparations?
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Cocoa? No, we prepared it and other places come and get it.
But what do you make with cocoa to eat ?
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: We made hot chocolate from it. We prepare it for fermentation. It smells so good sometimes we eat some of the seeds.
Do you make any remedies with cocoa?
Several partisipants (F, M): Yes, with the grease.
_Several in the audiance are talking at the same time. Surveyer asked for each one to talk one after the other._
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: When we make chocolate we take out the grease and set it apart. Then we would fry it to make oil. Anytime you have your body aches you just took the oil and rub it over body_Car is passing by.. If you hard something hard like boils or an enjury you can rub cocoa oil or cocoa grease on them. Before rubbing it the oil needs to be hot. You have to fry the grease to get it into its liquid form, after rubbing it you will be healed.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop:Well, because you said not to comment on what other people say but we need to fix something here. When you are rubbing cocoa oil on muscles you cannot only rub it in one place, no. You have to rub it fast ,fast ,and hard. If you are rubbing slowly like this or like that the boil will grow on someplace else in the body. It’s something that needs to be done very fast so doesn’t give you more problem.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: Gason; 43 ane; 5 Timoun; Segond ; 6 ane nan kop: Cocoa has so much importance , when you prepare the cocoa in the cooperative and they export it abroad ,the same place where the cocoa was sent would send us cocoa tablet. We all would sit down in the “Aztel” to eat those tablets. Those tablets are made with our cocoa and they send them to us in the cooperative; they are good.
Who send it for you?
Several partisipants (M,F): (Etikad) Etikap(Etikad)
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: Etikap, because when we sit down together we share the tabblets.
Have you ever tried to transform it to any other things?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop :They can do other things with it but we only know about tablets.
Have you ever try to other things with it besides chocolate?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop :No,we have the ladies from Grande Riviere, the ladies from Grande Riviere make rhum and other things with it, the ladies from Grande Riviere.
Partisipant (M): Hurry up, Tibo’s ladies!
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: If there were people here they would do it.
What are the different varieties of cocoa you have in this area?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: Well, we have Trinitario,we have Forestero, and we have Criolo.But all three type are planted on the same farm, it’s like some kind of one preparation,we planted all three on farm. One farm, all three are mixed together.As a farmer you know the difference between the three; when go the farm you are able to identify Criolo; you are able identify Forestero right away. After the training we got from Fecano we are able to identify the three different varieties as soon as we see them.
Do you all believe there are only these three different varieties?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes , we only have these three different varieties ;if there are more we don’t know them.
Can any producer around here be able to identify all three in any farm if we ask him?
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: We don’t know, a technician would be able to. The Criolo system…_Surveyer: We are talking about producers not technician.
What type of varieties do the farmers know?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Well, 70% of the producers would be able to identify the three different varieties. Some of the producers are getting old and might not be able to identify them, they would just pick them and might not be able which one is Trinitario or Criolo. The younger farmers who took trainings would be able to identify them quickly.
What month do you harvest more cocoa ?
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: What season?
Participant (M): He said what month.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop:: We harvest, we have big harvest and small harvest.
Big harvest in what month, small harvest in what month?
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: The big season starts from September to December. The big season starts from march to June._Several people talking at the same time: Small season is from September to December._ A participant (M): Hummmm, April.
Participant (M): The big season starts in February, yes.
Several participants are discusing the months (M,F): April. Small season. Big season.
One person at time, if you disagree with someone let him finish and raise your number and we will let you talk but we need to let the current person talking finish first. Ok? Number 2 are you finish?
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: Yes
Would some else would like to add something else?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Well, actually cocoa is harvest two times in a year. The big season starts in Febuary, March, April, and May and may end in May. You understand? The small seaon starts in September, October, and November until December._Something is being zipped.
Yes, you can continue.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop:I’m finish
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop :The small season, I can say it starts from September to December. The big season starts in Febuary, March, April and June.
During cocoa season how would you explain your daily routine, how do you spend your days?
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: I can say it’s a day of harvest.It’s a harvest for us. It’s a day of benefit for us.
But how do you spend your days? How do you pick cocoa? How is the process done?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Actually we say ehehehe, we harvest cocoa. Ehehehe that day I can say we get our log ready, we have some knives that were giving to us, they are sickles. We go to the farm with our knives ready to harvest cocoa.After harvesting we set all the good pods aside; we don’t sell the ones that were stung to the cooperative. We don’t take them in the cooperative, we only eheheheh sort out the good pods eheheheh because the cooperative takes fermanted cocoa and break them. We put them in a clean container eheheheh very appropriate the way the cooperative asks it to be done and take it to the cooperative. It is a time of great joy when we take the cocoa to the cooperative for us To take the cocoa to the cooperative, do you see what I mean by that?
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop:When we take the cocoa to the cooperative, they give us money. That‘s the money we us to pay for our kids’ school.
What is the most difficult thing for you in the cocoa production?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: What appear as the most difficult thing for us is when the danre…,[69] they don’t give money to buy it and we have to sell to outsiders where we could have bring it to the cooporative. Even selling on credit would be good because you know that tomorrow you will get a ristoun[70]. When the get the ristoun that is the biggest gift you can get; cause when you sell you get money for what you sold plus they give you the ristoun that’s is a great thing. The other day they gave me 50 gourds[71]. Some people when they get the 50 gourdes they pass by machann[72] selling sugar and buy a gode[73] of sugar that is going to save their lives, that’s hope. When they bring the money late , I don’t feel good about it. That’s not good at all because it is when the cocoa is finish they bring the money to buy it.
Who brings the money?
Several participants(M,F): The leaders.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: Ehehehe, there is AVAF as a partner who finances Fecano, ehehehe has a movement and buys cocoa.Fecano distributed the money to the cooperatives but sometimes they send the money late. By the time the money comes the danre is already finish and some cooperatives didn’t even collected enough cocoa.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Ehehehe, you said what is the most difficult thing during the time of harvest cocoa? Ehehehe, when you look at some of the members in the cooperative, they are coming from very far away. They had to walk 7 or 8 kilometers to bring cocoa to the cooperative. We definitely see traveling is hard for them and it is their willingness that cause them to bring cocoa all the way to here.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: The question Ulis asked I was going to ask the same question. What is most difficult for us in the cocoa production? It’s after picking the cocoa you have to carry it all the way to the cooperative.The distance is very far. If there was post that was near to where these people live where they can sell the cocoa , a motorcycle could come and take the cocoa from the post to the cooperative. People would feel much better if that could happen. This is the most difficult thing for the members of the cooperative. This is it.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Cocoa, is it the same question as Eno. When someone goes to the farm to harvest cocoa, they spend a whole day picking cocoa then he needs to sort the out, break them and take them to the cooperative. When he gets to the cooperative the warden already close it, he suffers yet another time to carry the load of cocoa back home.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: There is always a schedule written on a board, and we open at 8 :30 in the morning and we close at 5 . If you have the schedule written on the board and the person comes with cocoa after 5, the training I took says when you are in the fermantion process no matter who comes with cocoa you can’t help him. By the time you go to help him put the cocoa he brings into a barik[74] the ones you had bought and was in the process of fermanting will be spoiled. Something like that can cost you too lose a lot of money._Alot of noise of cars passing by.
Partisipant (F): The montains are not sweet, no.
#8.Duval Yvrose: Fi; 42 ane; 7 Timoun; 7em AF; Komesan; 4 ane nan kop :You have to analize the distance of carring the cocoa…._Noise of cars passing by can not hear everything that is being said.
Number 8 are you finish?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes, I actually agree with what the warden said a 100% but what right now we are talking about the difficulties the members are facing. It can happen that we have some inconvience, the distance is too far. By the time for him to walk to the cooperative it’s already 5 o’clock, yes.
This has nothing to do with how the cooperative fuction. This is a general survey. We are talking about difficulties you face as a producer. We take all informations from you and report them to CRS in a report. The difficulties we discussing has to do with being a cocoa producer. Ok?
#2.Laguerre Daniel: Gason; 42 ane; 3 Timoun; Reto; kiltivate; 10 ane nan kop: Yes.
What do men do in the cocoa production do that women can not do ?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: I believe men do the grooming on the trees but women can also do it on the ground. As for climbing a cocoa tree, I believe there are difficulties_Silence_Hummmm, the man. There are some giant cocoa trees and I believe a man can pick cocoa from them easier then a woman. I believe we make things easier for the women in all the tasks. In term of breaking, we can do the breaking and have them carry it. We know women are the priority.
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: Hummmmmmm? Women pick cocoa, break it and carry it. I plant cocoa.
According to you, there is nothing a man can do in the cocoa production that a woman can not do?
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop:Only the grooming of trees that are too tall.
OK.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: As for climbing trees , I can’t climb trees but there is nothing else I can’t do in the production.
Well there is something you can’t do if you can’t climb tree.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop:Even here, even here I can’t climb. Cause each time I come here I always said climbing here will make someone sick one day because I don’t feel good climbing here._ Several in the audience are laughing _ This place needs something.
What ?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: I am always doing some analyses between men an women. There are somethings a woman can’t take direct responsibilities for them.
Tell me what women do and men cannot do.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Direct, direct; well if there is a cocoa tree that is very tall can a woman climb it ? No she cannot.
No she can’t.Anything else?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: But on the contrary if the cocoa tree is very low she needs to pick cocoa from it.
Just say what a woman cannot do.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; Gason; 70 ane; 7 Timoun; 2em AF; Kiltivate; 29 ane nan kop : No, she can‘t climb all trees. Well, I am done.
Is there anything in the production you think women can do but men cannot do?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Men do everything. You have no idea how men love the money they get from selling cocoa!?_Several in the audience laughing_ For them not to do everything?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Only carring cocoa is difficult
We are talking what women does but men can’t do.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: My gosh!? We do everything! _ Laughing.
Partisipant (M) : Women can carry a kivet[75] but we can’t do that.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: In these days I can say I planted 35 cocoa trees. I dug all the holes remove them from their bags and planted them all.
How do you pick cocoa to sell ? What is the process?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: Fi; 48 ane; 2 Timoun; 7em AF; Kiltivate; 29 ane nan kop :What do you do when go pick cocoa to sell? What do you do, you go to the farm and when you arrive you start picking cocoa.The ones that are not good, the ones that got sting on them you set them apart. Then you take a clean container break them and put them coantainer to carry to the cooperative.
Anyone else ?
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: When it’s fermanted cocoa you don’t need to wash it. But if it’s not for fermanting but for selling you need to wash and set it out to dry.
Who sells cocoa more, woman or men?
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: Both . Both of them sell.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: It can happen eheheeh every women have their own farm , men have their own farm. The man might say today I need a hoe and I going to pick cocoa and sell it mysef to buy the hoe or a machete. Today he said that the woman is not envolve in selling. Sometimes he comes with it and give it to the woman to sell and the woman give him money to buy what he needs. That means everyone is envolve in selling cocoa.
Who sells the most?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: More selling would be women.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: More selling is women. Women sell more.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: There are consequences if a man is married or is living with a woman no matter what he possesses I believe doesn’t belong to the man along or the woman along; because if you are married there are responsibilities. You have the cocoa farm, the farm is for your wife, the farm is the husband. That means both of them participate in the farm. There is no my own.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: You see, people who are old now, I have a cocoa farm that is very far away. It’s a man that is responsible for it. Each time he goes to harvest the cocoa I tell how to clean it because he didn’t grew up in the cooperative system. I am the one who is in the cooperative. I told him how to treat the cocoa, clean the trees. When he picks cocoa the ones that are not good and not to put them in the pile that will be coming to the cooperative for fermantion. I told him about everything he needs to know.Well, as for me I don’t go to the farm anymore I only see cocoa is being sold. Sometimes after selling he comes to me and tell me go see the warden to get the cocoa money. This morning I got up and I didn’t have anything it was the cocoa he sold to ehummmm, A participant (F)_Voltije[76]? The voltijes. I was standing on roadside and he said,” Come here”and he put $10HT[77] in my hand. He is my son. You see everyon has rights.
As women what do you find as the most difficult thing in the cocoa production?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: Planting appears as the most difficult.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Cocoa, what is most difficult for us when we plant the cocoa? Sometimes we have the nursery and it dried up in thatches. It does not rain, that is something that is very difficult in planting cocoa. As for me , I was lucky . When I planted cocoa my children were here. The water could be far away I never lose one tree! They went and brought water to water the plants. Well, I have a cocoa farm when I arrived at the farm_Several people are talking very low_. When I arrived to the farm there was a coca tree that was growing and it was plunged down and I said,”No! I am going to lose this cocoa tree.” I said.” What am I going to do?” Then God gave me the intelligence to take three sticks and a rope and put the tree straight . When I came back, the tree was standing tall and strong!
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: What I see as being difficult for women is during the dry season it is very hard for us to dig holes to plant cocoa. After that I don’t see anything being hard for women to do besides picking.
Do you plant cocoa or it grows by itself?
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: We plant.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: I see all th agronomist said that cocoa needs to be planted 3meters by 3meters, I found that the land here is diffirent. When we look at the land here, by principal cocoa should not be planted 3meters by 3meters. I don’t know if it’s being planted abroad 3 meters by 3 meters but when we plant it like that here, the cocoa is not even 1 year or 2 years old the trees are almost touching each other. The land is too rich you can’t plant cocoa 3meters by 3 meters maybe it could be planted 4meters by 4 meters. Now a day, you see all the cocoa are dying because not enough wind is passing under the trees. The trees are almost sticking together that is why I said if I have a piece of land now and plant cocoa on it 3 meters by 3 meters before a 1 year and half you see them almost sticking together.
How would explain you the planting the process from the saplings to the planting?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: Yes, before that ,before we take the cocoa trees from the saplings we go to the farm to do the bumps . We have a measurement tape to measure; if it’s 3 meters by 3 meters we measured that. When we finish with bumping the whole farm, we evaluate the amount of plants the land would need. Another day we get up go to the farm and dig all the holes we would need. Either the wife or the husband digs the holes. The wife carries the plants to the farm and the husband plants them. That is how it is done here.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: That is how is it. When the land is ready, you clean it. You take a day to do all bumps then you measure it after that you dig your holes.
Partisipant (F) : Depending on where the saplings are , you carry them to the farm. When you get to the farm the man digs the holes then you scatter the after scatting you put each sapling in a hole then you cover them. When they need mowing you mow them. That means this something that takes time to produce fruit; you can not evaluate the producing process. If it is small it needs to grow. It takes time. It needs to grow properly.
What is the biggest problem you have on cocoa prices as a producer? What do you consider as you biggest problem?
Partisipant (F) : Prices
#2.Laguerre Daniel: Gason; 42 ane; 3 Timoun; Reto; kiltivate; 10 ane nan kop: Ehehe , as for me, if all the cocoa producers were more focus on bringing cocoa to the cooperative, cocoa that is being sold for 30gourdes[78]could be selling for 100gourdes[79]. Throught my study, it is the producers that are costing the cocoa not to have a higher price. When I look at the compition with ….voltijes that are buying cocoa from the outside; Novela has a team of voltije that are buying cocoa. Cooperative members dried their cocoa and sell to them. We had a contract with them and they don’t honor that contract that is one thing. A problem that is causing the producers to not get a fix price on the cocoa.The producers are the one preventing us from getting a fix price. Novela signed a contract and they don’t honor the contract, that’s a headache. The cocoa needs to have a fix price. It is the producers’ fault that we are in this situation I believe.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: That means we can’t control everything that happens in this situation . Not everyone has the same problem because there might be a producer who has cocoa, let’s say today is a school day and I don’t have the means to buy food to cook for the kids when they come home from school who went to school hungry in the first place. He has to give the cocoa for cheap to save the mother and the children who are
coming home from school. That is why we always have the compition between Novella and the cooperatives. Becaue Novella put the speculators to buy cocoa and they never lack enough money to but cocoa even if the harvest is finish. The cooperative is always late, they have problem to deposit the money for the opening. The opening is always late that is why we have a compition. It is not the producers fault the cooperative cannot gather all the producers; they have their own problem too. Thank you.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop:There is something I would like to say. In the past they used to give a ristoun now you might sell cocoa but you never get a ristoun; that caused people to be discourage.
Partisipant (F) : When the cooperative used to give the ristoun, eheheh , we would just prepared the cocoa,the ordinary cocoa, and they bought it. We prepared the cocoa , they bought and sold it . Just like a market business all the profit came back to us. There was no fund for education, provident fund or any amortization taken from the profit. The whole profit would come back for the cooperative members. We used to get a good amount of money from the ristoun. But, but, but now Fecano itself do it another way. That is why when you come here you see chairs, benches, many other things,and many electronics in the cooperative.They used some of that money to buy those things. Some members get a ristoun but they think they should have got more. You see last June the cooperative give a ristoun of 6 gourdes[80];some other cooperatives only give 2 gourdes[81]or 3 gourdes[82].
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: What problem causes that, when the money comes to the cooperative we buy_Alot of noise can be heard can’t hear what is been said_ .If there is a remaining balance they should tell us who they loan it to. The members would not have a problem with that. If there is a remaining balance and I borrow from it, the person who borrows always has a problem with the ristoun.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: To follow what the lady said _Surveyer said : You have to say your own thing._ #5 continues : I want to properly explain what she said . It’s a question of managing the fund. Money is giving to the cooperative by Fecano to buy cocoa. When the money is here, the coopearative does the transaction of buying cocoa. It was in my presence that Fecano gave $2000HT[83] to buy cocoa. The cooperative bought for $1800HT[84] there was a balance of $200HT left. The 200HT according to the rules should be giving back to Fecano. Now if they leave $200[85] HT in the cooperative, this member would say I borrow this amount, the warden would say I borrow this amount or the president would say I borrow this amount; that money is loss .Now that the money is loss when you are giving the money back to Fecano , that $200HT will be taking out from the ristoun. They will take the amount you didn’t return. Now the members don’t get a good ristoun like they should. There is no where it listed that money was taken out form the cooperative. If no money was taken out, now when we do all the preparation on cocoa to send it to the Fecano center we members get together and do all the preparations and don’t pay an outsider to do the work you will not lost much. Not too much will be loss. But when everything that needs to be done we hire someone else to do them, the money to pay them will be taking out from the fund we have. Now when you give ristoun there will be more problem. If we all get together and put all our hands in the dough and do everything with discipline we will not have a problem with the ristoun or with the pricing. As for the price of the cocoa, it is Fecano that looks for an international market for us. Fecano is helping with moving the country forward. It looks for the best market to sell the cocoa with good price. In that case we can say that Fecano is the expert in selling because it finds the best market to sell the cocoa. Now we have a buyer who asked for 200 ton of cocoa we have to put our heads together for us 7 cooperatives to give that 200 ton of cocoa.
How does the ristoun is calculated? How do they determine how much ristoun each person should get? Do you know much you should get?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: No, we don’t know. The reason we don’t know is because the manger does the selling. After he covers all the expenses the rest will be divided among the members. Now the cooperative calculate how many pounds of cocoa it sold and divided it among the members.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: Well, ehehe I am going to say that when they have the working capital in their hand after all the expenses if $200HT is left they should return it to the office.All that $200HT should not be taking; not all of us have the same conscience . I can come to sell cocoa for $80HT[86] and the warden give me $100HT[87] because there is no change and to return $20HT[88]. When I get home I said’’Ahhhh, I already give that $20HT.” Two days later I still didn’t don’t bring it back and it was already marked down; from the working capital if each person owns $25 or $30 that’s a deficit. You can’t find $200 to take back .Don’t you see even 5 gouds is counted.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: Sometimes, oftentimes they put all the blame on my back because when you have 50 gourdes[89] in your hand you have to give every single details on how you spend it. Well if 2 gourdes[90] is left and sometimes a producer have owns that 2 gourdes but he doesn’t return it_ Laughing.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes, we return to the price of cocoa again. Like you know we are living in a poor country some buyers would pay 30 gourdes to 35 gourdes per pound. When you see a farmer with 6 to 7 kids to send to school and to feed when the voltije buys from him he pays him in cash right away. He doesn’t need to know if you give 20 30 40 pounds of cocoa, he gives you your money right away. When you sell to the cooperative, you don’t know if you will get pay in 2 or 3 weeks , you don’t know that. Well, you have kids in school even if the price bothers me; true I would get $7HT[91] from the cooperative but I can’t let the children died when the voltije can pay me in cash right away. _ #6 : That is clear. I have to sell to the voltije. He has to sell to the voltije. It is a relief. Give me my money to save my children! I don’t know what they will do for me tomorrow. I don’t need to know. That is price and that the thing that bothers us the most.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Actually as for me _Laughning_I am a past president.Today I am not the president but I am still in the service of the cooperative. For me during my reign when I was managing the cooperative we didn’t have the fermenting process yet ; we were taking cocoa Tinye and cocoa Sanytes. Me and the warden with some other members we did use not take many employees. The president did not used to act like the president; the warden did not used act like the warden ; and it was not only three of people who were in charge of the cooperative. We took our responsibilities and we all put out hands in the dough to move the cooperative forward. The last ristoun we gave was 12 gourdes and 20 cent because we did not abused the cooperative. But since Fecano came with all its employees in La Plain du Nord and employees all over the place all I hear about is money being spend, then ristoun comes all the expenses will be taking from it. That is why the ristoun is small. Well, that is why as an ex-president of the cooperative , if there is something I want it to be in advantage of the members and cooperative. Now when you take a bunch of employees and send them here and this president comes and he does whatever he wants_Alot of noice can heard_ I am the president, I have to put my hand in the dough; I need to put my shorts on and find cocoa, put cocoa out to dry, turn the cocoa and every single today set it to dry. The work was moving forward. You come with the fermenting cocoa and it’s losing we are losing. This is the old president talking.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: To follow what the presidnt said , in Fecano there is a technical staff that is placed. They are here for them to help us. To find the best market for you to sell your cocoa.In Fecano, it is not your cocoa that pays the staff. In Fecano it’s NGO’s project, NGOs who pay the staff. There is noone , oneone from all the 7 cooperatives who gets pay from the money the cocoa makes, not even one. NGOs pay them. Your little cocoa cannot pay these people.Not even 1 gourdes is taking from your money to pay these people. I was the general secretary in Fecano I know all these things no one gets pay from your money. I can tell you this person gets pay by this NGO; that person gets pay by that NGO. There is no question that is your eheheheh your cocoa that pays these people. Your little cocoa cannot do anything for these people. It cannot pay these people to work for you and find the best market to sell the cocoa for you. When you finish with harvesting the cocoa , where are you going to sell it? You don’t have the way, how can I say that, good way ehehehe of preparing to find good container; to have influence abroad. Do you have any cooperative that have all those things? My man nothing to say, these people are here to help you. They are here to find the best market for you; there are not here to live from your cocoa.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: How come since Fecona existed it has NGOs to pay it employees? Yesterday the ristoun came and it couldn’t cover all the members. If it’s not the cooperative,if it’s not the cocoa who are paying these employees how come the ristoun is not enough for everyone?
We are not doing a reseach to find what is in Fecano, were doing a research on cocoa. We are talking about the ristoun,you said it is not you who decided on the price or how much it should be sold, but do you find the ristoun to be just on what you sold to the cooperative?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The reason why I said it matches, if i sold 10 pounds of cocoa and they paid me. When the ristoun comes it is $1HT[92]and they give me $10[93], a $1HT per pound that is correct. If it is 3 gourdes[94] they give me 3 gourdes.
On what term is it $1HT? Is it just? Do you believe you should only get $1HT on ristoun? That’s what I want to know.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: I already told you about that. After the calculation is done and all expenses are cover_ Surveyer did not let participant finish talking.
Is the difference, producers are not part of the expenses, they only sell cocoa. For example you sell 100 pounds of cocoa but you didn’t cost the cooperative money to sell your cocoa, right? You are the producer and you sell your cocoa but you expect to get a ristoun, I want to know if the amount you get from the ristoun if you things it’s just; should you have get less or more?
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: What I can say, if you give 50 pounds of cocoa and they already warned you that the pound is $1HT then your profit should 5 gourdes. Now if you give 50 pounds you know you will get $50HT. That is common sense, you know it’s $50HT [95]if the pound is $1HT.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: I actually understand your question very well, but for example if know that Madame Intel[96] is going to Port au Prince and I give her a dozen of plantain to sell for me and I give her money for transportation when she comes with the money, I will take my money and the money I spent on getting the plantain to Port au Prince. Now let’s say she ate a pate[97] from that money she will not tell me that and I can’t justify that, I can’t justify that. Now if I send Fecano and it tells that it spent this amount on containers, this amount to pay someone to dry the cocoa, how much was taken out, this amount was spent on transportation and brings me receipt for everything and say here is your receipt , here is your receipt; if we give Fecano our cocoa that means we trust it. If it comes and gives us a ristoun, honestly it is just.
#8.Duval Yvrose: Fi; 42 ane; 7 Timoun; 7em AF; Komesan; 4 ane nan kop : Afer they take money for the expenses if the cooperative owes them they will take it from it before they bring it to you.
All the answers are ok, but we mixed all the answer together. I feel like I am taking to the cooperative not the producers. Our next survey will be with the cooperative but now let’s talk as producers. Does anyone know any producer who would ever say they spend an amount of money on picking cocoa? Do you spend money on picking cocoa?
We are producers, are we talking as producers?
Several partisipants(M,F): Yes. Of course
Ok.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The way the question is asked should be simple but it has hummm, what do you did not want to be part of the answer becomes part of it. Why? I come to sell cocoa and when I got my money I left. That means they come to pick the cocoa here and take it to Plain du Nord if they said there is an expense you don’t have a car you have to accept that. One other reason you can’t say you are not satisfied with the ristoun is because before they give it to you they have a meeting, a general assembly where they show you for example if they sold the pound $8USD and how much $8USD is in gourdes. It is always the same thing, it is the expense that were taken out and that’s why you get 5 gourdes as ristoun. If it was easy after the $8USD is converted into gourdes you suppose to have a good ristoun. That means as for satisfying you will never be satisfied with one dollar; but that is what is giving to you , you don’t have a choice but to take it.
Several partisipants(M,F): You take it.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop:: And ,eheheh, because we are talking about the result from the ristoun,well ehumm before the campaign starts there is always a group that come to do a provision with ehumm the members. On how many pounds that can be harvest for the season, from that they remove the cost for someone to dry it and other expenses. That is when they can count the amount of ristoun. If they collect 10,000 pounds they already calculate how much the ristoun will be. That means counting all the expenses and fees from the beginning.
Where is the cocoa being sold to?
Partisipant (M) :They sell them in Europe and New Zealand.
Abroad ?
Partisipant (M) : Yes
You sell per pound?
Partisipant (F) : Per pound
Partisipant (F) : One person is talking, excuse me . One person is talking. The name that is called. Excuse me. The name they call on should be giving the explanation_Several people are talking at the same time.
How do you sell cocoa?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: How do we sel lit when sel lit here ?
I am asking about the measurement you use. Do you sell per pound or by a sack?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: It’s a small bowl.
A pound?
Partisipant (F) :Yes, per pound
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: Yes, we sell per pound. After selling per pound during the dry season you know that things go down? You know that you give a pound_
Surveyer: We don’t know that, you are the producer, if you sell you don’t need to know if it decreases or not. Partisipant(#7): No, you know that you give a pound _Surveyer: As the producer they can through it away after I sell it as long as I get your money.
Ok, you sell per pound. How much is the pound worth abroad?
Partisipant (F):56 gourdes[98], 56 gourdes
Abroad. We are asking how it’s being sold abroad not in Haiti.
Partisipant (F): 1.20USD,$1.30USD that’s the price is for a ton of cocoa abroad.
Do you know or you not sure ?
Partisipant (F) : We can say we don’t know
You don’t know ?
Partisipant (F) Before he starts with the transaction he alway said there is a buyer who wants this amount of ton and at this price_ Several are talking at the same time
Would you like to add something else on the ristoun ?
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: I would say a little thing; they say that we Haitian people are people who are stupid; the cooperative came to change the lives of the Haitian people. I can say that is a business. We brought it here for us to know where to that business.
During the cocoa season, do you see a different on how you spend your days from how your parents had spend theirs?
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: What we can say there is no differences. When the parents went under the coffee they didn’t do anything; when we go under the cocoa we don’t do anything; when we pick the cocoa we don’t do anything _Surveyer: What do you mean by not doing anything?. #8: That means they did not cook food under the cocoa tree they don’t cook food in the bushes.
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: Well, the difference is in the past the amount the parents used to harvest now a day we harvest more.
#1.Mme Antoinette Joseph: Fi; 52 ane; 7 Timoun; 5em AF; Komesan; 20 ane nan kop : Harvesting more, the less in the past was better for them. Even if we harvest more than them, they used to buy land and they used to buy cows with what they made. Now you cannot even buy a sandal.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: Well, I think now you too if you have, if you , if you have alot of cocoa you can harvest enough to also buy land because I saw, I saw, I saw when the president was president a member from the cooperative bought a piece of land from the ristoun money. Right President? #6: Of course. #5 continues: From the ristoun money he brought a piece of land because he had a lot of cocoa. When they give him the ristoun he bought a piece of land.
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: Land was not that expensive!
Do you like working as producers? You feel comfortable? Do you feel proud of yourself?
#1.Mme Antoinette Joseph: Fi; 52 ane; 7 Timoun; 5em AF; Komesan; 20 ane nan kop : The reason we feel proud is because if you have the danre you would not die from hunger. If they see you have the danre they will sell you on credit. If you want to feed 50 people they will sell you food for them all. Now people will sell things to you because you have cocoa, that is a kind of respect.You can go to the principal office in the school and said “Sister wait there is someone I will sell cocoa to this week and will bring the money to you_ A lot of noise can be heard_Cocoa is our cow in Haiti_More noise can heard_It is our cow_Alot of noise_
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes, I feel proud of myself for harvesting cocoa. One of the things that make me feel good is when I go to the Fecano office knowing our cocoa is the best quality. I feel this is a good thing for Haiti. It is also an honor for Fecano when they send cocoa abroad and they tell them that their cocoa is the best. That is not a small thing.
What is the role of the children in the cocoa production, what type of work do they do?
#2 Laguerre Daniel: M; 42yrs; 3 kids; Rheto; Farmer; 10yrs in coop: The children sometimes shoot the woodpeckers in cocoa trees. They kill the woodpeckers that are destroying the cocoa.
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: As for me , I see at the front door here during the harvest the children breaking the cocoa pods and drink the juice , it’s sweet.
Yes, do the children work in the production?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes, the children work. Someone can have 7 to 8 children when he is planting he brings them along while he is taking the plants out of the bags the children are planting them.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: They make good money from the cocoa, they make good money.
When you say they make money does that mean the children sell the cocoa too?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Yes,_Silence_ In the past , cocoa didn’t have a price on it; it did not have an occupation. In this actual moment I see that cocoa has a great importance and value. Because I see my kids, I can say that it is cocoa that gave them an eduction and raised them. Sometimes when I have cocoa, I do nursery sometimes, they got up in the morning take water and watered the plants. Anywhere they saw some kind of weed in the nursery they removed them. Now when the cocoa is being planted they carried the trees to the holes and we took them and set them in the holes. Well, I see the importance and they see how valuable cocoa is. If they are hungry the came to me, “Father, we need cocoa today.” I told them, “Go take care of you, go to the farm and pick cocoa to sell’. All of this is a glory because we work and we send them to harvest for themselves. If they make $100HT[99], $80HT[100], or 5 gourdes is because I worked for that. Thank you.
Is the cocoa production very important to you, is it more important than any other production?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: The cocoa production is very important to us. In Haiti now, cocoa is the most popular product. It is more important than everything else.
Partisipant (F) : It is popular now.
Partisipant (F): I see that it is so popular where there not enough trees they are planting more.
Besides cocoa, what other products do you plant?
Partisipant (F): We plant plantian, corn, beans, malanga[101] and green beans, all different type of danre like oranges, grapefruits, and breadfruit.
Let’s talk about the cooperative, what do you judge to be a good thing in the cooperative; how does the cooperative helps you in the production?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Sometimes they do nursery and give us to plant, we don’t pay for them. The cooperative give them all to us, it is an honor because you would have pay 10 to 15 gourdes for one sapling but you get it free my dear. The cooperative also opens many people eyes. They give us trainings, lessons and seminars. I would say that the cooperative helps a lot of people.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: The cooperative has been helping us for a long time. I used to see the older planters plant cocoa anywhere but now because we are getting some really good trainings from time to time the members do bumps; they plant cocoa by measurement because of the cooperative. If we didn’t have the cooperative we would be like the old planters.
Partisipant (M): Hummmmm!?
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: As for the cocoa, I could say the cooperative is like a mother and a father for me. I remember a time when I had a husband and was having kids I was an adult but was treated like a child. The reason I was a child is because if my husband left me home and I went to a market woman and bought 5 gourdes of bread when he came home I had to tell him I owe Ms. Intel 5 gourdes . Since I became a member in the cooperative I felt like I am an adult like my husband.
What other service does the cooperative provides?
Partisipant (M): The service it gives is when the members prepare the cocoa Ficano buys it and sell it on the international market._ Cars are passing by.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: As for myself I can say that the cooperative does a lot of services for me. Because of the meetings, seminaries, and the training we get from the cooperative people did not have a social life now do. That means we have a base to help us develop as people. Thank you.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: As for the question, because of the cooperative all the members have a badge. Let’s say today you go to Port Magot and you have your badge in front of you, with your badge in front when people from Port Magot know that you are a member in the cooperative. Because of your badge they can they can say “You are a member of SOKAD from this area, you are my brother.” Because they see you as member, they will take you to either the cooperative in Port Magot or the one in Oboy. The president of that cooperative will welcome you , feed you and take care of you. In the future they will come to your house. All that is because of the cooperative, the cooperative has done great things for us.
Is there anything you think the cooperative should have done but did not do it?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: To find someone to teach somethings, every year they promise us 2 or 3 things but we never get them.
What do you mean by 2 or 3 things; what are they?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Like teaching us how to prepare the cocoa another way.To make some money on the transformation process. Once they told us they will show us how to make pomade for when the danre is finish we can still make money. Each time they offered us something they never give it to us. Also there was a loan that they were giving us but some of us didn’t return the money that we can’t complain about it.
A credit?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Yes to give us a loan. They did give us a loan but some of us did not return the money for that we can’t complain.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: On what the member just said , let me put some light into it. If the cooperative could give the women a loan to do business that would benefit everyone. Because they would have the cocoa plus a small business(trade) they would not mind if the cooperative don’t pay them on time when they sell their cocoa. They would just bring the cocoa to the cooperative and the cooperative can pay whenever it wants with not pressure.
Can anyone be a member in the cooperative ?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: No.
What are the conditions of being a member?
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: For someone to become a member, he needs to pay a social fee and a registration fee. He needs to pass 3 months in certain seminaries to learn about all the rules and regulations. He needs to follow all the rules of the cooperative. If he follows all those steps and adapt all the rules and regulation he can be a member. Afer some studies an agronomist who is in charge of quality will give him a test to see if he truly all the rules and regulations.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F; 78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop:: If someone in the community is a thief , does violence on people and have a bad reputation he can’t become a member.
Are there many women in the cooperative?
Several partisipant (M,F): Yes. Many. Yes.
Why are there so many women in the cooperative?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: We used to have problem with the working capital in the past to buy cocoa now that problem is resolved. We don’t have that problem anymore.After buying cocoa we still have some money that is left, there are no problem.
#4.Clairsina Colas: F;78yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; Farmer; 29yrs in coop: The reason men are not so interested in t he cooperative is because they don’t have time. We have meetings very often if one the animal breaks its leach during one of these meetings_the room is noisy cannot here all that is being said.
Is there a difference between man and woman in the cooperative?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The difference I would say is that the women get loans and the men don’t. They only give loans to women. In the committee we see only men are in action until the harvest is finish. As a woman I know that the cocoa can get people to be involved. I don’t have a problem.
Do you think both men and women get the same privilage in the cooperative?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The differences there could be again ehummmmm, if the women can get some special training._ Several woman are laughing
Partisipant (M) :You here that!?_Laughing
Partisipant (M) : Everyone is equal in the cooperative.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The difference is only in the credit. A woman is leaving and she slames the door BOOM, Gito said”Ha, look at what that woman did to me” _Laughing in the audience_”Look at what she did to me, she is being disrespectful”. Fuel doesn’t stay near the fire_Other woman_ I know. She has good merchandise.
Is there a difference between woman from the towns and the ones from countrysides?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: There are no differences. Women from towns in cities think they are better than women living in the countrysides. As women from the countryside we carry food our head to feed them.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Difference between men and women,no. Between women from the towns and women from the countryside, yes; would a one of those women carry a load of cocoa on their head to the cooperative? No , they will never do that. Women from the countryside already know the business they will carry it no matter what. There is a difference between women from towns and women from the countryside. Women from the countryside are looking for a way to survive. There is a difference.
Is there any transparent in the cooperative?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: I don’t see that, all the members are equal.
By transparant I mean if a member lives far away does he still get the information regarding the cooperative ?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Yes there is transparant. Because we have ehumm ASM, if someone live in Tikos he doesn’t need to come all the way here for trainings. Ehummm I believe every Sunday the guys spend time in all the different places.The trainers, we have two, every Sunday at 2:00PM they go over there to give them trainings. There is transparent
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: By telephone, you know about everything that is going on via a SMS. You know the date for each meetings, they even get a calandier.
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: What I could say is that is not the board of the cooperative that is in charge of that. Whenever there is a meeting the lady would just call the president and say we have something going on.When the president say why I don’t about that before she said you don’t need to know about it.Only when they send something to do he has to make sure it’s done and spend the money the right way.
You are not aware what is going on ?
#7.Jean Cherinxe Shomane: F; 48yrs; 2 kids; 7em AF; Farmers; 29yrs in coop: The warden is usually near when this going on, the president is always fighting about that.You see for this meeting he called me and told me the meeting is at 10 AM, and to come on time not to come late.Now if he didn’t say that.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Because they are giving things to you, there is a proverb that says when they giving a gift to you you are obligated to receive it. But that gift you are getting is coming from you in the first place. Even if you go all the way to Plain du Nord and make a complaint they told you they were running out of time. Althought they came to do it for you, you were supposed to be there but they are one who did the traveling. They don’t welcome you.
Do you mean because of the meetings and the invitations that is why there is transparant?
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: Transparant means when we are working together. Like I said when we are working together there is not transparant. But when there is one person who has more power over you that is transparent, yes.
At the beginning we spoke about 3 objectives for this study, if CRS says today it will give you 3 things, what would they be?
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: We would like a loan.
#1 Mme Antoinette Joseph: F; 52yrs; 7 kids; 5em AF; Market woman; 20yrs in coop: I would like for them to make us feel welcome. They should not only come here and give us nice speeches and then leave.They always said that they are searching something for us to do after the harvest I want them to give it to us. For tomorrow we can leave it behind for our children.
Partisipant (F) :I want to know how much the price for a pound of cocoa.
You would like to know for how much the pound is being sold abroad?
Partisipant (F) :Abroad
#9.Altagrace Laguerre: F; 43yrs; 10 kids; 9em AF; Market woman; 5yrs in coop: Would like to still have money even after the harvest is over.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: When those surveys are done about the producers and the cocoa production, we do not want to sit in silence. When the guys are done with the survey they just left. They don’t give us a result about us producer, we want to see the result. Can you send us the result for a survey that was done on that time, that date, and that time? We want them to send to the result to the hand of the cooperative, we want to know if the project will continue or not. .
You want to know what came out of the report?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: would like, what I would like is by this report ehummm by the report on this survey together with Fecano to find a better condition , to improve the condition of the producers in the cooperative, in the cooperative._Voice of children playing.
What are the hope you have for you children?
Even if we don’t benefit from it our children should.
But what is it ?
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: Me , what I want for my children in the future as I am farmer in cocoa production , I want my child to be a great agronomist._A car bumping_So he can better support to continue cultivating cocoa because it is something good.
__ Cars are passing by covered voice of partisispant_
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Maybe I have dreams for my child but maybe he has his own dreams of what he wants
What would you want him to be?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: Something that is very important like a priest, a reverand mother, an agronomist, anengineer, an technician,and a builder all kind of major. He will choice one of them.
Do you have the same dream for both your daughters nad sons?
Partisipant (F) : Yes, the same thing. What my daughter likes is to be a doctor. Everyone cannot want the same thing, each one like a different branch so they can become pioneers.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: In the past something was happening specially in Haiti . What was that? Women used to stay home but now the power is almost 100% between women and men.
#5.Jean Enaud Samson: M; 43yrs; 5 kids; Segonde ; 6yrs in coop: For my children what I want for them, I had an uncle who died, Francois Magloire a lawyer,he was the first lawywer in the North.In my position I should have rich_Laughing because he is our cousine. Now one of us can have our sons replace those guys.They are already in right direction from what they are study.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop: We here cultivate cocoa. First what I would like someone here in cooperative to have a child who becomes the minister of agriculture. Because we love cocoa, when that child becomes minister of agriculture it will be us who will be leaders. We know what we would do, we will give a more importance.
Partisipant (F) : We gave the rulers of the game before we started I don’t know time we will end. Before we started did we have rules to the game?
If you ask us to finish, we are done.
Partisipant (F) No, I didn’t ask for us to finish. I said what time. If there is a beginning there should be an ending._Laughing
there someone here who would like for their children to become cocoa producers?
Several Partisipant (F,M) :Yes, we all; we all; when we die they can continue.
Partisipant (M): Because in general the direction we want to take with cocoa is to take it far.If our children can leaders in the production thery would accomplish our misssion_Several in audience are talking at the same time.
We thank all of you for partciping in this meeting, if someone would like to add something else about the production he can say now.
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: We have 3 personnel here with us is it because of their position that they sitting here with us? Will this branch continue to work with these 3 personnel?
Which 3 personnel ?
#6.Joseph Jasmin; M; 70yrs; 7 kids; 2em AF; farmer; 29yrs in coop: The ones that are sitting on this table.
We are doing a research, when we finish with the survey we will give CRS the report our job is basicly over. If we continue to work for them that is an opportunity we will have.
#3 Thelus Edrice: M; 27yrs; no kids; Rheto; Mason, farmer; 3yrs in coop:Yes we like would for this organization to come not only to accompany Fecano or the cooperatives, we hope it comes in person.Because according to guys who came here to give us trainings they told us those guys are working over there,I don’t remember,in Oboy. No, not in Oboy.I don’t remember.Over there by the Grand Anse if I am not mistaken.
Yes, we are working in the Grande-Anse. We are doing the same work there. We have a group of surveyers who are doing a survey with the producers; as we talking some of them are in Chambellan, Les Irois, and Ans dHainault. When they are finish in the Grande- Anse they will be coming here also.
Partisipant (M) : We wish places like Les Irois and the places you just mentioned they come here. We don’t only wish they come only as partners but normal as coworker so they can assist us.
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: I would like when people say we need assistance, we need some kind of transportation to transport the cocoa to Fecano. I would even like you to help Fecano give us a motorcycle.
Help Fecano or help the cooperative?
#8.Duval Yvrose:F; 42yrs; 7 kids; 7em AF; Market woman; 4yrs in coop: To help the cooperative. We need transportion to transmit the cococ to Fecano.
If any kind of help will be giving to the cooperative should it be giving directly to the cooperative or to Fecano?
Several partisipant (F,M) : No
Partisipant(M): To Fecano, it should go to Fecano. Fecano will do the distrubition because there some coordinators who work for the good of the cooperative with Fecano.
Well, thank you very much. We thank all of you.
NOTES
[1] What animals carry on their backs to carry loads
[2] A term used to refer the whole harvest or everything that ones had planted in a farm
[3] Refered to cocoa buyers who visted planters to buy directly from them also known as zombies.
[4] Type of measurement
[5] A seller
[6] A pallet made out of straw
[7] Famous Haitian snack made with sugar and nuts such as peanuts
