Ethiopia has achieve economic success from agriculture.

By now you know where my main objective is.  The overall improvement for the people on La Gonave is to start with agriculture.  When you look at it, people have farmed for many generations on the island, however poor tools, lack of innovation, poor soil, lack of water, lack of seeds, etc.  There are many things that can be done, but La Gonave must have farmers who will become experts in the crops that they raise.

Some NGO's are supplying seeds to farmers, and even go as far as providing water catchment systems, but the support ends there.  Providing seeds and water simply isn't enough.  Sure the farmer will raise the crops more successfully than they would have without adequate water, but again, this simply isn't enough.

Farmers have to understand how to conserve and be strong supporters of conservation.  Conservation of trees, land, water, etc.  Then they have to be supporters of strong self sufficient farming practices.  This includes more education, becoming SME's (subject matter experts), and helping each other.  In other words the cooperative that we are establishing will allow for this to happen.  We are wanting to focus on a few crops initially such as honey, beans, and melons and understand all the correct conditions for growing these crops.  This means understanding how to get greater yields, practicing composting, using raised beds when needed, planting rotation crops, etc.  Simply put, we have to understand how to make the most impact out of the gate.

Ethiopia was a struggling East African country a few years ago.  Now Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.  Due to farming, most of the population is not in poverty.  The Ethiopia government invested heavily in farming and correct practices.  As a result, locals were getting hired by farmers who needed help in harvesting their crops.  I'm a big fan of small businesses, and farming is a small business.  This direct employment has dramatically boosted the economy of Ethiopia.  Not only this, but the country is now becoming more politically, socially, and financially stable.  Couple this with the fact the country is now supplying a large sum of their own food. 

For La Gonave, my idea wouldn't be much different.  I believe in a 5 year plan, of which the honeybee program is on year 1.  The first and second years are the most financially intensive as you are just entering the industry and purchasing supplies and equipment.  Also the first two years you are developing knowledge of the crop(s) you are raising.  The other three years you continue to expand on the knowledge with those farmers becoming SME's in their respective crops.  You also work on intensive expansion of the crops to other farms with the overall goal of supplying everything needed for the community.  This means self sufficiency.  On the island farmers could pay a minimum wage, plus give their workers some of the crop for their own personal use.  La Gonave can do just as Ethiopia has done.  With the proper guidance locals can develop from an agriculture based economy to one of light manufacturing, and then to heavy manufacturing, to Information Technology and Innovation.

Go Gonave!

The first step however is agriculture in the correct way.