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PORT-DE-PAIX —In the sun-baked village of Passe-Catabois, in Haiti’s Northwest department, women gathered on Oct. 15 to mark the World Day of Rural Women, an event aimed at highlighting the critical role of women in rural communities. While the focus was on creating more inclusive policies and support for women toward sustainable development, the elephant in the room was hard to ignore: access to modern tools and equipment.
“Women need modern tools and equipment so that they can work,” said Anaise Fertil, coordinator of the Network of Active Women in the Northwest (REFANO), one of the organizations at the event.
“They need encouragement so that they can advance, so they can get involved in the sustainable development process,” Fertil said.
In this small community of Passe Catabois, in the fifth communal section of Port-de-Paix, the day brought together more than twenty women’s organizations under the umbrella organization Rasanbleman Fanm Riral Nòdwès (RAFARUNO) —English for Rally of Rural Women of the North-West (RAFARUNO) — to reflect on their role in Haïti’s struggling agricultural sector. While the event fostered reflection on their economic contributions, they were focused on something far more serious—how to reverse the decline of the rural economy in a way that contributes to sustainable development. To advance toward sustainable development, members of the umbrella organization RAFARUNO said rural women need access to the following::
“Nothing can be done without women, so we cannot think about the development of the country without the participation and integration of women,” said Fertil.
“We cannot aim for economic progress and sustainable development overnight, it is a whole process that requires sufficient resources and means.”
While rural women worldwide are increasingly recognized for their essential contributions to agricultural development and sustainability, in Haiti, the picture is starkly different. Haitian rural women, though vital to the nation’s agricultural sector, continue to work within an outdated system, relying on rudimentary tools like machetes and hoes.
On this World Day of Rural Women, the global push for development sustainability contrasts sharply with the reality in Haiti.
In Passe-Catabois, the day’s theme, Fanm riral nou se poto mitan ekonomi lokal”—english for “Rural women we are the pillar of the local economy,” was brought to life through an array of festivities, including traditional choreography, musical performances, and spiritual voodoo rituals that infused the air with energy and optimism. The women’s groups who participated came from different areas within the North-West department.
Though deeply committed to their work, the lack of state investment in mechanization and infrastructure that could help them play a bigger role in Haiti’s economic recovery came up repeatedly in speeches revolving around progress.
“We can’t expect economic progress and sustainable development with these rudimentary tools,” said Fertil, who is also the coordinator of the Network of Active Women in the North-West (REFANO).
Throughout the day, the conversation also often turned to the treatment of Haitians in the Dominican Republic, where many Haitians who live in rural areas have migrated in search of work.
“We say no to the abuse of our people,” said Nicole Honoré, one of the participants. “If our own government supported our farmers, we wouldn’t have to endure these humiliations.”
The sentiment resonated deeply with the women, whose agricultural activities are often overshadowed by broader geopolitical issues.
“If the state supported us, we wouldn’t need to leave,” Honoré insisted. The mass migration of Haitian workers reflects a systemic failure in rural development, leading to a brain and labor drain that further destabilizes the Haitian agricultural sector.
The crowd was full of women who have spent their lives growing crops and managing small businesses, a key role rural women play in Haiti’s agricultural sector. Historically, women in rural Haiti have worked behind their men in farming, but their involvement goes far beyond that. They are heavily engaged in the trade of produce and the resale of goods, forming the backbone of Haiti’s rural economy.
“These women are not just workers; they are the backbone of our agricultural system,” Fertil said. Fertil is also a lawyer and activist who has worked with rural women for over 24 years. “But they need modern tools and state support.”
Also present at the celebration was Djina Guillet Délatour, the general coordinator of the National School Canteen Program (PNCS). She shared insights on the push to promote local products, integrating Haitian foodstuffs into the school meal program in partnership with the World Food Program (WFP) to encourage farmers. For Délatour, connecting local farmers to government programs like PNCS could be a game-changer.
“During the past year, our program reached over 1.2 million schoolchildren, and we’re aiming to increase that number,” she said. “Imagine if all the food we used came from Haitian farms. That’s a vision we can work toward
The event also featured a series of entrepreneurship and financial management workshops aimed at empowering rural women.
“We want these women to understand how to manage a budget, plan their activities, and grow their ventures,” said Yannick Agénord, deputy mayor of the city of Port-de-Paix.
While the training was well-received, the women acknowledged that knowledge alone isn’t enough to overcome the many challenges they face.
“In our organization, women make stoves and charcoal with cardboard, so they work with their hands, quite simply, without machinery. So women are able to contribute to the process we dream of. They only need the support of the State.”
The post Haïti’s women demand government support for modern agriculture on World Day of Rural Women appeared first on The Haitian Times.
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