March 14, 2023
Campus Henry Christophe de Limonade Announces the Enrollment of BS Students through the Haiti Agricultural University Partnership: Center for Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate-Change in Haiti
The Haiti Agricultural University Partnership: Center for Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate-Change in Haiti (HAUP-CEMARCH) project is a long-term investment made by USAID to develop the agriculture sector. One objective of HAUP-CEMARCH is to strengthen the Haitian institutions that train agricultural professionals, working in partnership with six Haitian universities to develop and establish improved agriculture curriculum, and help the institutions develop an agricultural research and extension agenda that is aligned with national development priorities. The intent is to have agricultural training in Haiti, by Haitians, for Haitians.
Through the support and leadership of USAID and the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Sustainable Intensification (SIIL) at Kansas State University, the HAUP-CEMARCH project is designed to provide educational opportunities for Bachelors of Sciences students at Campus Henry Christophe de Limonade CHCL-Limonade to pursue a degree in agricultural sciences. CHCL-Limonade is one of six Haitian universities in the project, and the second university to announce the award of BS scholarships to students through the HAUP-CEMARCH program.
The President of CHCL-Limonade, Dr. Hérissé Guirand, working with his administration and faculty, was able to increase BS enrollment in agricultural sciences to 90 students, an increase of 30 students, thanks to the support of the HAUP-CEMARCH project. Additionally, the HAUP-CEMARCH project will fund a new agricultural technology park that will be located next to the campus, and will showcase student research projects, host new research projects, and serve as a site for extension and teaching activities for the surrounding community.
On January 2023 new students started attending classes at the university. They will also conduct research projects aligned with their major, also supported by the HAUP-CEMRACH initiative.
Mr. Réginald Toussaint (USAID AOR for the project), Dr. Absalon Pierre (Chief of Party for the project) and Dr. Elizabeth Guertal (Project Director) will all work with CHCL-Limonade to start the various projects. Since the implementation of the HAUP-CEMARCH project on October 1, 2021, these BS classes and other research and extension efforts will ensure the total success of the initiative.
Vara Prasad, director of the SIIL, university distinguished professor, and R.O. Kruse Professor of Agriculture at K-State said, "We are excited that this program has started and is moving forward, as it will build the capacity of youth in agricultural sciences, which is critical for economic and social development of Haiti. We truly thank USAID for supporting this important initiative in Haiti.”
“We are quite excited that our partner universities in Haiti are enrolling students in agricultural majors, with the support of the HAUP-CEMARCH initiative,” said Elizabeth Guertal, project director for HAUP-CEMARCH.
About the Haiti Agricultural University Partnership Activity: The overall objective of the Haiti Agricultural University Partnership (HAUP) is to increase institutional and human capacity and social capital of local universities to better meet the demands of the agricultural economy and workforce needs. Kansas State University, through the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL) leads this initiative in Haiti. The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, where it is part of Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global food and security initiative.