The President Michel Martelly, proceeded, this Thursday, Feb. 16, at the inauguration of two irrigation dams to Matheux and to Courjolle in the commune of Arcahaie. The ceremony was attended, among others, by Ambassador of France in Port-au-Prince, Didier Le Bret, representatives of the European Union, the Minister of Agriculture, Hébert Docteur, parliamentarians and municipal authorities including the Mayor of Arcahaie, Jean Yvon Nestor.

Irrigation works to Matheux and to Courjolle, which fall within the framework of a sectoral program to strengthen irrigation in the plains of Arcahaie, Montrouis and Saint-Marc, ave cost 13 million U.S. dollars. Funded by the French Development Agency and the European Union, this sectoral project of the Ministry of Agriculture Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) allows to irrigate an area of ​​7.000 hectares with dams of Matheux and Courjolle. The dam Matheux considered as a wealth for farmers, serves 900 families archeloises. Forty five percent (45%) of the bananas consumed in Port-au-Prince come from the plain of Arcahaie. In addition to the rehabilitation of these two dams, were also built two ponds of dissipation, five outlets on the network, eleven aqueducts, over twenty miles of primary and secondary canals.

"Where there is water, there is life." With this reminder, the Head of State, very aware of the importance of irrigation in agricultural production, was delighted to see this big step. Working to strengthen the agricultural credit program, the President Martelly seeks to put at work, in activity, 60% of farmers in a first time. It is in this sense 00,000 bags of fertilizer were distributed to farmers in recent months in several parts of the country. The distribution program will continue to facilitate the work of farmers.

After the inauguration ceremony to Arcahaie, the President Martelly went to Bassin général (Rivière grise) to evaluate the rehabilitation of the dam. He also visited several farms in the plain of the Cul-de-Sac (ernier, Dumay, Bas-Boën, Lassere, etc...) It is to encourage efforts to boost domestic production.

Before a confident people who presented his list of grievances, the President of the Republic reiterated its commitment to continue to lay the foundations for sustainable development. He took the opportunity to sensitize the Haitian people to consume local products. The Head of State also encouraged Haitians to reforest and protect the mountains, the environment being one of its top priorities.

HL/ HaitiLibre