Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) in collaboration with the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), began on Monday a training program on protected agriculture [culture in greenhouses], which will ends August 24, 2012. Part of this training will take place in neighboring Republic, in order to benefit from the Dominican experience.

The agricultural professionals, students graduating in agronomy, university professors, executives of Ministry and private sector actors who participate in this program, will become of trainers specializedin the area of ​​greenhouse production aiming to train teams who will work to the development of this type of agriculture in Haiti.

Lyonel Valbrun, the Director General of MARNDR stressed "It is imperative for Haitian agriculture to engage resolutely in greenhouse production, starting to have its own critical mass of base of human resource knowing, and mastering using this technology [...] this sub-sector can help the country solve the problem of food insecurity, create jobs and develop new businesses," explaining the benefits of this culture "The greenhouses provide a climatic environment that protects plants against low or high temperatures, heavy rains, winds, insects and other pests."

For his part, Vernet Joseph, he Secretary of State for Animal and Plant Production and Agricultural Recovery has indicated "after this training, participants will be ready to build a team pioneering for the launch, during the period 2012-2013, of a program of development of agriculture in greenhouses, which will aim to build two million square meters of greenhouses."

Alfredo Mena, the Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) recalled that "The Protected Agriculture plays an important role in recent years in some countries in the region. Because it allows to multiply the production up to 8."

Diego Torres, Representative of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, said that all aspects related to protected agriculture will be taught from the installation of greenhouses until harvest. "We must change the man if you want change the society. That is why, it is important to train resource [...]," noting that this new type of agriculture, is currently used in several areas of the Dominican Republic.

HL/ HaitiLibre