January 30, 2024
First Student Graduates with the Support of the CEMARCH Scholarship Program
The Haiti Agricultural University Partnership (HAUP): Center for Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate-Change in Haiti (CEMARCH) is a 5-year program supported by USAID-Haiti. This center was established by the Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL) of Kansas State University (KSU). The program has three overarching objectives, which are to provide support for BS and MS degrees for Haitian agricultural students, develop agricultural technology parks (ATPs) to showcase and develop new climate-smart agricultural production technologies, and work with agricultural-based Haitian partners for extension and educational opportunities. It is the first objective that is showing immediate success, as students are already completing their Bachelors in Science degrees in the agricultural sciences, with the scholarship support from CEMARCH.
On December 16th, 2023, the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) held their graduation exercises, and among the graduates was Mr. Walmy Borgard. He is the first graduate of the 105 students who received CEMARCH scholarship support from one of the six CEMARCH universities. He comes from Les Cayes, located in southern Haiti, and completed his BS degree in Agronomy. He specialized in Agroforestry and Environment, with a keen interest in environmental health, biodiversity, and climate change. After graduation, he aims to apply his knowledge and skills to contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation efforts in Haiti.
The graduation of the first CEMARCH scholar celebrates the opportunities presented by CEMARCH academic support, with many more BS and Master of Science students to graduate over the coming three years. This graduation also shows the opportunity for the BS students to participate in research at the ATPs, as Mr. Borgard did. His 5th-year project, titled ‘Morphological characterization of the avocado tree (Persea americana Mill) in the communes of Cam-Perrin and Ducis, South Haiti’ was presented in a research seminar to all interested students and faculty on December 29th, 2023. He was joined in this presentation by two other CEMARCH scholars, Merlie Louis and Romario Dolney. The completion of undergraduate research projects clearly demonstrates the intersection of the CEMARCH objectives – financial academic support, coupled with growth in research competency, both designed to provide agricultural production information for Haitian growers.
This first BS graduate, and the presentation of their research work, clearly demonstrates the intent and the value of CEMARCH. In short – education and research in Haiti, with teaching and advising by Haitians, and improved agricultural productivity for Haitians. Dr. P.V. Vara Prasad, University Distinguished Professor and the Director of the SIIL, said, “having the first CEMARCH scholarship student graduating with a Bachelor’s degree is a remarkable achievement, given current challenges in Haiti. The student, faculty, and the AUC are all to be congratulated on this achievement. Our goal is to support 120 BS students and 30 MS students over the period of the program.” In the coming years of CEMARCH will continue to see such productivity and success, improving Haitian universities for their faculty, students, and the citizens of their regions.