The survey for this report was conducted in 1997 in Commune of Jean Rabel which covers 467 km2 of territory and has an estimated population of 130,330 residents, 278 people per km2. The area is generally considered among the poorest in Haiti. Infrastructure in the form of a few roads and schools are in horrific condition. The population is primarily dependent on agriculture. There are few salaried jobs outside of those financed by foreign NGOs and a hand full of teaching, police and political positions with the State. The Commune is almost entirely deforested. Erosion is advanced. Agricultural technology is not more complex than machetes and hoes—no plows. Most people travel by foot, pack animal or when voyaging to distant cities, by the few buses and pickup trucks that make up the public transportation system—financed entirely by private entrepreneurs.
The survey was initiated by three development organizations working in the area: PISANO (Projet Integre de Securite Alimentaire), AAA (Agro-Action Allemand) and ID (Initiative Developpment). The goals of the survey were to, 1) give a demographic overview of the Commune, 2) provide nutritional, health, socio-economic, and agricultural data which can be used to target development programs to appropriate areas, 3) provide baseline data with which the sponsoring organizations can evaluate the impact of their own development activities.
Report Jean Rabel Haiti
