1. science
2. geology
3. seismology
4. earthquakes

Haiti case study
(implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation)
Context and participants
Country
Location
Context
Communities part of
the project?
Project name
Haiti
Rural mountainous and
forested
Area with high risks of
disasters
YES
Area with high
risk of disasters
Area with high
climate impacts
Valuation of Biodiversity
Project (PVB), Unit II of the
Pine Forest, Phase IV
Cyclones and landslides
Fragile and
conflict areas
What common risks and
hazards do you face in this
region?
Previous risk survey
NO
participation
The Program „Preservation and Enhancement of Biodiversity - PVB“, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development
and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation since 2003, aims at contributing
to the development of a participatory and sustainable management of protected areas in Haiti, which combines
preservation of natural resources and socio-economic needs of local communities. The strategy aims at empowering local stakeholders (local elected officials, community-based organization) and accompanying statutory
authorities (ANAP / Ministry of Environment) to the development of mechanisms for the construction of a
form of sustainable management of the reserve.
n=26
Figure 1: Participants at the resilience workshop in Haiti, mountainous area
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case study Haiti
Matrix of risks
G
F E
O
M
This matrix was filled in by the representative
group of the community which was interviewed.
It shows the most important risks that were identified
by the community and their perceptions of risks.
For each risk, they agreed together where to position
it according to the impact they have and likelihood
of occurence.
AJ I
L K
P D H
N
B
C
Figure 2: Risk matrix of the resilience assessment in Haiti, mountainous area
Reported risks and impacts
m
ite
d
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In Poli ds e (H
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bl (N
To ems )
Ea rna (M
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(B
)
Highest ranked risks
Figure 3: Highest ranked risks
Figure 3 was produced from the matrix of risks. Based on the perceptions from the representative group, it shows
the main identified risks. These risks are ranked according to the combination of each risk’s impact (5 ranks) and
likelihood (5 ranks) of occurence and are cumulated and measured on a scale of 10 ranks. The scale of Figure 4 is
based on the risk’s impact (5 ranks) divided by the number of times it was mentioned.
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case study Haiti
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Highest ranked impacts
Figure 4: Highest ranked impacts
Most commonly reported actions and barriers
Most commonly
reported actions
1. Sensitization & prevention
measures
2. Community mobilisation
3. Health & market mobile services
4. Hard infrastructure measures
5. Soil conservation measures
6. Use of traditional knowledge
Most commonly reported
barriers
1. Poor governance – disbelief
2. Lack of financial and technical
means
3. Lack of mobilisation / disbelief
4. Land tenure issues
5. Lack of infrastructure
6. Lack of information
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case study Haiti
Analysis of characteristics of the community
▪ Assets and resources: The community living in the area where the activities of the PVB project are im
plemented completely depends on natural resources (very few imports and limited resources). The access to water and to varied nutrition is limited, largely because of the hostile climate (drought, heavy rains, flooding, land degradation, etc.), the great poverty of this area and a lack of financial and technical means, and insufficient crop diversification. Community members are mobilized in times of crisis for support, but often they quickly reach their limits. When it is reached, they either have to migrate to cities to earn, or temporarily place one or some of their children in other more healthy families (“Restavek”). The PVB project has significantly contributed to the spirit of mobilisation in the area.
▪ Infrastructure: There is hardly any infrastructure in the area: no roads, very few brick-built houses, no or little shelter for livestock, no infrastructure for the market, no schools, no hospital, not enough tanks for water reserves, no irrigation, etc. Following various cyclones, the community began to build shelters for livestock to reduce losses. There has been some construction of more robust homes. In general, it is the churches which play the role of school and social shelter. Dry-stone walls to reduce erosion and landslides have been built. Most of the buildings and infrastructure resulted from project activities.
▪ Institutions & processes: The state is almost non-existent in this area. The communities are left to
themselves. Community mobilisation is quite limited, but thanks to the project activities it has increased. CASEC1 gathers area managers and facilitates decision-making by allocating roles.
▪ Knowledge & learning: The community is mainly based on their expertise and their traditional knowledge.
There are still some teachers for a few primary schools but of very poor quality because they are often volunteers who have not even followed real training. The church remains if not the most secure means of transmission, which folds to the community. The community has limited access to external information, and is relatively closed on itself.
▪ Values & attitudes: A strong sense of distrust among the community is caused by the political climate and lack of state help. People are reluctant to make changes and it is difficult to generate interest and community
confidence in order to adopt new models / new practices.
Conseils d’Administration des Sections Communales (CASEC)
1
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case study Haiti
Survey analysis based on the three capacities
▪ Absorptive capacity: The community somehow tries to absorb shocks, and appeals to mutual aid with neighbours whenever it is possible (despite distrust during emergencies, drought, famine). The community
quickly reaches it absorptive limits.
▪ Adaptive capacity: This ability is poorly developed by the community. The main adaptations which took place were thanks to project activities. Without the project, most people would immigrate to the cities
because they do not have the means to adapt and have insufficient knowledge and there is a general lack
of mutual help.
▪ Transformative capacity: In most cases there is migration to cities when there no other means are available.
This is the case when there is severe drought and famine ad during post-hurricane periods and for the education of children, etc. In this case this is not a positive, but a negative transformation as the core functions of the community are not maintained.Women are often left to themselves with several children, the husband goes to the city to earn more money and sends it to his family. This causes loosening of family ties
and the poverty cycle.
R
Figure 5: The resilience triangle
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case study Haiti