Group for Development
and
Autonomy of Communities
GDAC PROJECT
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Goats
75 FAMILIES complete the “goat project”:
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48 goat shelters - shelters protected GDAC animals during the December 2016 hurricane- our families did not lose a single goat to the storm.
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All goats supported with medications for deworming
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2019: 27 more goats given away this year to make our total 75 Families benefitting from a goat.
We have a farm now (2021) for our goats - with a barn and fenced in pastures so the goats don't have to be tied out. Now we can accept our newly re-given goats and raise them in a comfortable manner.
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Education:
2017/2018: GDAC regional committee provides training and support to new goat owners
2018: Two sessions of "farmer" training were offered in February - one by Equitarian Initiative and one by Dr. Brower
2018: December Alchemy and Nadege Cadet completed 12 weeks of Veterinary Agent training at Ag-Horizon.
2018: Marc Milien has been selected by the GDAC Advisory Groups to attend Ag Horizon Veterinary Field Agent School.
2019: A fourth person will attend the Ag Horizon Veterinary Field Agent school. Farmers received training prior to receiving goats
2020: GDAC welcomes our newest Ag-Horizon Graduate veterinary Field Agent, Carline Sucois! She is a welcome addition to our group of Mombin Crochu vet agents!
Animal Care
2017: GDAC sponsored veterinary agents conducted 18 mobile clinics, going beyond goat care to providing care for pigs, roosters, oxen, cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, burros and rabbits. We served over 1,800 animals this year!
2018: Partnering with Equitarian Initiative (EI) and Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM), another 185 animals received care in March. GDAC vet agents continue to offer 2-3 mobile clinics per month and staff the GDAC pharmacy during Wednesday market days.
2019: GDAC, EI, CVM and Ag Horizon school partnered up again in February to deliver care to almost 400 animals!
2020: We built 10 more goat shelters for our recieving families to provide safe housing for animals overnight and in stormy weather. We continue to provide mobile clinics and our agents are now training other agents in adjacent regions.
2021: GDAC hires a full time goat herdsman to provide care for our small but growing goat herd that will be the source for goats for our goat give-away events
FOOD STORAGE
The Food Storage Program consists of storing harvested crops in safe and appropriate conditions to reduce post-harvest losses, preserve product quality, and ensure food availability throughout the year.
The project began in 2017. It has been serving farmers and local communities since April 15, 2024, while remaining in its final phase of construction and development.
Benefits
• Food Security: Ensures a stable food supply beyond harvest seasons and during emergencies.
• Economic Benefits: Allows farmers to sell their products when market prices are more favorable.
• Crop Protection: Protects agricultural products from moisture, bad weather, insects, and rodents.
• Seed Preservation: Maintains the quality of seeds and tubers for future planting seasons.
The Food Storage Program is essential for improving farm profitability and strengthening food security.
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GDAC HOUSE / SOLAR ENERGY / PHARMACY
The construction of the GDAC building is of great importance: it allows the development of a veterinary pharmacy for the storage of medicines and the conservation of the vecins thanks to the installation of a solar energy system. This room is also used for the storage of agricultural products and houses a space dedicated to the organization of training sessions for farmers.
Such a solar energy system is very important, especially in Mombin Crochu, which is a very reduced municipality compared to large cities. It is essential for the preservation of vaccines over a long period of time, which allows mobile clinics to be organized in the most remote areas. This preservation of vaccines and the storage of veterinary drugs offer a better structure to fight epidemics and do prevention. What is encouraging is that our system works very well. However, vaccines remain extremely difficult to find in Haiti. Even in the Dominican Republic, it is impossible to obtain all the different types of vaccines. This is why it is always very important to order vaccines every time you make a deployment for the purchase of medicines in the Dominican Republic, because these vaccines come from other countries.
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What is next on our to-do list?
2021- Covid and political unrest has slowed us down the last few months but our goal to reach sustainability has not changed:
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We continue to provide 2-3 mobile clinics per month to provide care for farm animals in this area.
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As our veterinary outreach abilities increase, we need to continue to educate farmers in animal care and husbandry. We want to provide at least 6 farmer education events in 2022.
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Continue to support farmers with goat give-away and animal shelters.
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Continue to increase farmer access to veterinary care
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Bring 1 - 2 teams of veterinarians to Haiti to support the veterinary agents in 2022 (political situation allowing safe travel).
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Continue to develop other revenue streams
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Finish building a more permanent training center/storage building
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Provide a vehicle for the Veterinary Agents
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Continue to provide starter trees for the community to help with reforestation.