Instead of throwing huge bags of rice at crowds, now might be the right time for the government and donor nations to emphasize facilitating the rebirth of food markets in Haiti.
This can be done and prices kept low by building temporary market spaces and subsidizing the transport of a variety of food from the countryside, the Dominican Republic, and other nations to be sold at greatly reduced prices to timachann (literally, “little merchants”) who then sell them at the neighborhood markets. (See this wonderfully colorful and well written post by Bev Bell on successful community organizing with timachann in Carrefour-Feuilles, Haiti.)
At the same time, a campaign to provide farmers with seeds and tools, should be launched immediately as planting season is coming up so. Sadly, donors are far behind on raising funds for agriculture and food projects in Haiti. Hopefully, with all the money that has been raised by rescue and relief operations some of these millions can be re-granted to organizations on the ground and in the countryside that can help ensure Haiti has the best 2010 harvest possible.
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