The Port-à-Piment Millennium Village: Port-à-Piment

The ultimate goal of the integrated Millennium Village Model for sustainable development in Haiti is to demonstrate the manner in which the Millennium Development Goals can be acheived in rural Haiti. The Earth Institute and UNEP have spent the past two years researching and engaging with the local community and government to better understand the pressures of poverty, the environmental degredation, and the disaster vulnerability of Port-à-Piment. This investment is integrated in a design specific to for a Millennium Village Project in Port-à-Piment. The key adaptations include a watershed-focused approach to land use planning and a strong emphasis on environmental restoration and disaster risk reduction.

 

The project focuses on improving human security by empowering the residents of Port-à-Piment to implement effective and cost-efficient strategies for development. Port-à-Piment, as is true for the rest of Haiti, has a real need for focused sustainable rural development, including environmental restoration and disaster risk reduction. Recent natural disasters, including the earthquake of January 2010 and Hurricane Tomas of November 2010, only exacerbated already existing needs. 

 

The watershed of Port-à-Piment is situated on the southwest coast of Haiti, in the South Department. Its northern border touches the Pic Macaya National Park, an important area for conservation. The watershed is comprised of the commune of Port-à-Piment and small parts of neighboring the communes of Chardonnières, Chantal, and Coteaux; within these communes, there are seven communal sections, the a smaller administrative unit. The commune of Port-à-Piment is the location of a Port-à-Piment, small town of the same name that is the principal urban area of the watershed. The total population of the watershed is estimated at around 30,000 residents, with approximately 5,500 households.