Peace Corps Dominican Republic

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Peace Corps Dominican Republic

• Agro-Forestry

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How was the Project Developed ?

• FACTORS (Why)
• The issue of natural resource conservation,
  reforestation, soil conservation and
  agro-forestry are some of the most important
  developmental issues for the DR today. At all
  levels of the Dominican society there exists
  clear consensus to promote reforestation and to
  implement conservation measures in order to
  protect the major watersheds, increase soil
  stability. Watershed protection in the DR is one
  of the most important endeavor in conservation
  due to the fact that water production is needed
  to supply domestic consumption of the population,
  and to sustain agriculture production in order to
  increase the standard of living for the rural
  poor.

• PARTNERS (With Whom?)
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Environment
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Local NGOs
• Local Community Based Organizations

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Snapshot View of Agro-Foresty in the DR

• Commercial exploitation of natural resources in
  the Dominican Republic can be traced back to the
  XVI century, and occurred without technical
  input, nor institutional support. This resulted
  in an accentuated deterioration of the resource
  base, especially of the forestry resources. The
  degradation of the natural resources along with
  the population explosion has resulted in one of
  the highest population densities in the world
  subsequently creating an over-whelming pressure
  on the existing resources. The country suffers
  from one of the highest soil erosion rates in the
  Western Hemisphere The soil erosion lends to a
  sustained poverty cycle and low agriculture and
  forestry productivity, which in turn causes a
  state of social disparity that in the long run
  threatens the social stability of the country.

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• Agro-Forestry
• PROJECT PLAN

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Project Purpose

• Low-income small-scale farmers living in rural
  communities will improve land use practices
  through establishing sustainable agro-forestry
  systems and tree plantations to enhance their
  income capacity and long-term production.

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Project Goals

• GOAL 1 Strengthening the Agro-forestry
  Management Capacity of Community Members
• GOAL 2 Strengthening the Capacity of
  Organizations

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GOAL 1Rural communities will adopt appropriate
management practices that will contribute to the
improvement of their production capacity, income
generation, and reduce soil erosion.

• Objective 1 By the end of FY2006, 50 PCVs, and
  project partners will assist farmers and
  community members to establish 50 soil
  conservation plots, 350 improved wood stoves, and
  30 small nurseries with a capacity to reforest
  with 200,000 trees benefiting 1,000 farmers.
• Objective 2 By the end of FY2006, 50 PCVs, and
  project partners will train 1,000 farmers in soil
  conservation, small tree nursery management and
  reforestation/agro-forestry .

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GOAL 2Dominican Organizations will have the
capacity to train agricultural extensionists and
small-scale farmers in general conservation
practices that promote the sustainable use of
their lands.

• Objective 1 By the end of FY2006, 25 AF PCVs
  will train 50 Dominican technicians and community
  conservation promoters from 10 NGOs on
  sustainable conservation practices.
• Objective 2 By the end of FY2006, 30 AF PCVs
  will train 150 conservation technicians and
  promoters from 15 NGOs in planning and
  organizational skills (monitoring, evaluation,
  community diagnostic), as well as hands on
  sustainable practices (cover crops, fruit tree
  plantations and organic gardening).

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Typical Volunteer Cycle

• Pre-Service Training (12 weeks including CBT)
• Months 0-3 Community Diagnostic and Relation
  Building
• 3 Month IST Diagnostic Report and Start the 1st
  Year Project Planning Process
• Months 3-12 Complete Project Plan, Implement,
  and Monitor project
• 12 Month IST Evaluate 1st year progress and Plan
  2nd Year
• Months 12-24 Reformulate, Implement, Monitor,
  and Evaluate project
• Months 21-24 Begin transition process
• Pre, 3, 12 month Site Visits
• Close of Service Conference

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Top Ten Activities in the Environmental Awareness
Education Project

• Tree Nursery Construction and Management
• Reforestation with Fruit and Wood Species
• Soil Conservation (Live and Dead Barriers)
• Compost and California Red Worm Production of
  Organic Fertilizer
• Organic Café and Cacao Production and
  Cooperatives
• Home Gardening and Small Animal Projects
• Clay and Ceramic Stoves and Energy Farms
• Small Businesses (Eco Tourism, Ceramic Art and
  Salon)
• Water Shed Management Education
• Et al Latrines, Potable Water, Solar Panels,
  Cement Floors

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Success Story Nathan Kennedy

• Nathan Kennedy (2002-2004). Nathan worked in the
  small community of Guayajayuco a small town on
  the border of Haiti where the people make their
  living planting cash crops on steep hillsides and
  raising small animals. Nathan mobilized the
  construction of the environmental infrastructure
  of the community and trained community members to
  conserve their environment. His day-to-day
  routine consisted of helping small farmers adopt
  soil conservation practices to reduce soil
  erosion as well as helping farmers to establish
  agroforestry systems with a mix of fruit and wood
  trees species, and building live barriers to
  prevent soil erosion.

Nathan also promoted organic gardening in the
community.   The gardens became both a link in
developing trust with the community as well as a
demonstrative learning tool, which he used to
teach organic gardening techniques and the
importance of including fruit and vegetables in
your diet. Nathan also contributed to the
community by establishing a small fruit tree
nursery that will produce tree seedlings that
small-scale farmers will plant in their lots.
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Project Impact Snapshot

• Over 6,800 farmers and community members trained
  in soil conservation, tree grafting, organic
  production, certification, and tree nursery
  management techniques in 109 communities
• Thousands of acres of land reforested with over
  140,000 fruit and wood species trees
• Over 1,800 youth engaged in environmental
  conservation activities
• Over 26,000 square meters of land treated with
  barriers for erosion control
• 100 fuel-efficient stoves built in small rural
  communities.

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Being a Volunteer is

• A Unique Experience
• A Challenging Experience
• A Growing Experience
• A Sharing Experience
• An Unforgettable Experience
• IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DECIDE IT WILL BE!

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Peace Corps Dominican Republic

• Are you ready for the challenge?
• Welcome to the
• Agro-Forestry Project