Sacred Farms Ministries Water Project

“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Although the origins of this proverb are unknown, it undoubtedly resonates with our vision at Sacred Farms Ministries (SFM).

Roughly 50% of Haiti’s population is undernourished, as reported by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization in 2023. That is why since SFM launched over 15 years ago, it has been our sacred mission to fight food insecurity and support Haiti’s agricultural development.

A year ago, Sacred Farms established a three-acre farm in Saint-Michel-de-l’Attalaye, a small town in the Artibonite department of Haiti. Our goal while cultivating the land is to ignite a passion for agriculture in the next generation by engaging them in the farm through our agro program. We believe if Haitian youth learn and enjoy farming, it will inspire them to work the land, thus nourishing their homes and communities.

We began by planting peanuts, beans, and corn but quickly realized a significant barrier: the need for water and proper irrigation. With only 43% of Haiti’s rural population having access to drinking water – according to the World Bank – the country is moderately water-stressed. Dry seasons can see five to six months of little to no rainfall. Too little water, nothing grows. Too much of it can cause everything to rot and spoil the harvest. We learned both truths the hard way, as the rainy seasons also negatively impacted our crops due to the absence of a functioning irrigation system.

For this reason, we began building an irrigation system to bring the water from a nearby lake to our farm. Thanks to the faithfulness of our local partner, we laid pipes covering half the length of the future canal. Now, we need your help to finalize it.

To implement an effective and sustainable system, we must raise US$10,000. The project’s first phase will consist of completing the canal to bring water to the farm and making provisions to channel the excess water from the land during the rainy season to combat excessive water saturation. During the second phase, SFM plans to build two wells to water the land when the canal is dry and open the door for possible farm expansion. Additionally, we hope to acquire storage facilities to secure adequate water supply during the dry seasons.

If you’ve been looking for a way to make a meaningful impact, please consider contributing to our water project. By doing so, you will effectively help us grow food to feed impoverished children in Haiti and help the next generation rise up to meet the country’s agricultural challenges.

In the news, the future of Haiti seems bleak with the political unrest and food insecurity. But with SFM, we can give hope for the future by investing in the land. Please visit our website at www.sacredfarms.org to give, and follow our Instagram page for updates, pictures, and more.

On behalf of the children of St. Michel de l’Attalaye, we THANK YOU!