The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Agricultural University Partnership Activity , launched the Agricultural Technology Park in the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes. With this park, the university will expand on its already active education and research roles in agricultural training as part of its role in Center of Excellence for Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate Change in Haiti (CEMARCH) ().

At the opening ceremony, USAID representative, Reginald Toussaint said, "This activity represents all that is novel and engaging about USAID, as it involves research, teaching, and extension work developed by Haitian faculty and partners, for capacity building at the universities."

The American University of the Caribbean (AUC) is one of the southern regions of Haiti's top universities, teaching and conducting research in the agricultural sciences. Funded by USAID, this activity focuses on building institutional and human capacity so that Haiti is able to identify and seek solutions to its agricultural problems in partnership with U.S. universities.

This activity will establish an agricultural technology park to showcase high-potential climate smart agriculture technologies and strategies to sustainably intensify smallholder production systems. The park serves as a demonstration and training center for students to conduct applied research and local producers who are interested in learning how to implement modern agricultural techniques, methods for increasing agricultural productivity, and other ways to improve their farming practices. Furthermore, the park will help the university generate additional revenue to sustain its operation.

"Developing revenue-generating services and establishing agricultural technology parks to sustainably intensify smallholder production systems is a hallmark of the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL)'s portfolio," said Vara Prasad, director of the SIIL at Kansas State University.

The park, which is located on the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) campus, sits on 6 acres, has water, electricity, and secure fencing. It will be further developed with improved animal housing, new crop production areas, and an updated fishpond facility. The park features a farming systems model that can be adopted by small-scale farmers in the area. The model demonstrates various promising technologies and strategies based on the local context to showcase best management practices of agriculture. The funding provided by USAID through the feed the future initiative will be used to disseminate the following technologies:

• Improved beekeeping technology and forage production - an area of great interest for southern farmers.

• Improved chicken coops for egg production, research, and demonstrations.

• Livestock pens for goat production and research.
• Crop production under greenhouses and Plant nurseries for crop production, including vegetables, ornamental plants, and fruits.

HL/ HaitiLibre