Projects

Given the reliance on livestock as a source of income, progress in animal productivity and health is a top priority for Haitian smallholder farming families. However, there is a lack of visible, successful livestock business models yielding sufficient gains to support unsubsidized animal health and production services in the communities. The project focused on improved poultry management practices and livestock business skills for pcH staff and Haitians in the community of Zoranger, Haiti.

During this project, pcH staff acquired intense knowledge about poultry production and successful livestock business management which increased pcH’s capacity to serve their agricultural cooperatives. Through demonstration of successful poultry raising models appropriate to the local smallholder context, and in conjunction with livestock business training, Haitian families in the community of Zoranger gained skills and resources, and hence confidence, in improved livestock management and business development.

Costs: $24,000
Term: 2013
Funding: Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) (core funding); Cochrane Fire Department (in-kind); Atlantic Veterinary College (in-kind)
Partners: Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA)/productive cooperatives Haiti (pcH)

From the early days of the 19th century when agriculture study groups were established, to the rise of the fox farming industry, the development of a world-class seed potato industry, and the advanced technology in potato harvesting, farmers of Prince Edward Island have become known throughout the world as innovators in agriculture.

The key purpose of this project was to identify the opportunity that exists for Prince Edward Island farmers and others involved in the agricultural sector to provide consultative services, technical design and infrastructure to developing nations, using Haiti as the initial pilot project development area.

Costs: $14,000
Term: 2013
Funding: Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP); ISCA-AIDC

BRIDGE (Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections) is the industry-leading professional development program on election processes and administration. BRIDGE workshops are designed to promote professional confidence, ethics, understanding of principles of best electoral practice, and access to networks of peers.

This was the first BRIDGE training open to public applicants in North America. Twenty four participants from academia, aid and multi-lateral organizations, United Nations agencies, and electoral practitioners, came together in Ottawa for the first-ever BRIDGE training program in Canada. Expert facilitators, Helena Catt and Adolfo Cayuso, led participants through 11 of the BRIDGE modules over the six-day program. Modules included the electoral cycle, ensuring all voters can participate, electoral systems, electoral and party financing, electoral ethics, media, and international norms for free, fair, and incredible elections.

Costs: $62,000
Term: 2013
Funding: Participant self-funded
Partners: CANADEM – International Civilian Response Corps

Livestock production (principally goats and poultry) has great potential to address some of the needs in the fertile higher-elevation regions of Haiti, but is under-utilized by most rural Haitian communities because of local deficiency of skills and knowledge of best practice; access to agricultural, veterinary and business services; access to larger urban markets. During this project, ISCA-AIDC focused on developing and administering a two-week customized, applied animal health care and management training course to Haitian trainers (Training of Trainers (ToT); specifically, pcH agronomists and other core staff).

The project included assessment of the most economically important livestock health and production needs; assessment of the level of animal health resources and needs in cooperatives currently served by pcH; development of an appropriate training program based on these observed needs; and, delivery of the training program to Haitian trainers (pcH staff) who are actively engaged in assisting cooperatives in expanding agricultural production and livestock health in Haiti.

Costs: $25,000
Term: 2012
Funding: Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) (core funding); Cochrane Fire Department (in-kind); Atlantic Veterinary College (in-kind)
Partners: Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA)/productive cooperatives Haiti (pcH); Haiti Broilers

ISCA-AIDC supported the Sudan Peace and Educational Development Program (SPEDP) on identifying project development focal points within the organizations mandate and objectives, developing project framework, and developing a project proposal for submission to various funding agencies operating within South Sudan.

Specifically, ISCA-AIDC and SPEDP identified two specific projects that met priority areas for the communities that SPEDP worked in. This was supported by earlier community assessments completed by SPEDP. Funders were approached to develop relationships with SPEDP. In addition, government department heads and other officials were approached to build relationships and identify areas of collaboration.

Costs: $3,000
Term: 2012
Funding: ISCA-AIDC

The primary objective was to support farmers in Fon Batis to progress beyond self-sufficiency, whether at the farm or the community level. Thirty smallholder farmers (including eight women) from Fon Batis participated in a three-week workshop related to small scale business development in the context of smallholder farming. The workshop covered four modules related to poultry and small ruminant production, agri-business models, and supply chain marketing. These topics had been identified as a priority by the cooperative, together with FIDA/pcH, to enhance the livelihoods and enrich the community as a whole.

Following the earthquake in January 2010, many Haitians returned to rural communities and this added additional burden on already resource-deprived families. Giving participants some basic tools by increasing their capacity to begin small-scale business ventures overall impacted their ability to deliver change.

Costs: $19,000
Term: 2011
Funding: Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Partners: Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA)/productive cooperatives Haiti (pcH); Atlantic Veterinary College

This project set the foundation for creating ISCA-AIDC in 2011. A team from the Atlantic Veterinary College, including Lloyd Dalziel, travelled to Bohoc, Haiti to provide training of local veterinary agents and community animal health support through intensive, full-day clinics during which more than 1,000 different animals were treated.

Subsequent trainings for veterinary agents built on previously delivered workshops and the goal was to provide consistency in capacity building. Animal health clinics continued and were always very well received by the community, but ISCA-AIDC members were starting to look towards more sustainable, locally-driven initiatives, resulting in the founding of ISCA-AIDC and its subsequent project activities in more recent years.

Costs: $17,000
Term: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Funding: Participant self-funded; supported by Pam and Ron MacKenzie, Nova Scotia; Atlantic Veterinary College (in-kind)