Soil degradation in Haiti causative factors and consequences

Abstract

THE recovery of soil productivity is undoubtedly one the most urgent measures needed for Haiti's continued development. On this basis, we undertook an extensive review of the literature concerning the past history of soil degradation -from the precolumbine era to the present- in an effortto identify the principal factors causing the rampant soil degradation suffered by Haiti. Ourstudy was conducted from the three standpoints: physico-natural, political and socio-economic and describes the consequences of these factors. Our main findings are described below. Centuries of deforestation coupled to a lack of political will in defining land uses have seriously affected soils. Since the times of French colonization, rather than limiting agricultural crops to plateaus, vast expanses were given over to plantations, which even encroached upon the virgin woodlands of mountaintops.