Adoption of soil and water conservation practices in central Haiti

Abstract

High rates of soil erosion are a serious problem in Haiti. Donor-funded projects and nongovernmental organizations have promoted a wide variety of soil and water conservation practices. Despite the magnitude of the problem and the amount invested, there are relatively few economic analyses of the long-term adoption of these practices. We use an economics approach to examine the utilization of conservation practices by smallholder farmers in central Haiti using cross-sectional data covering 600 households. The adoption of conservation structures that include live plants and those that are made with other materials is examined as simultaneous decisions made by households in the sample. The results show that plot and household characteristics have different effects on utilization across different classes of soil practices, particularly with regard to perceived soil quality, market access, and household health status. Higher rates of use for some practices are associated with better soil, market access, and improved health status. These results inform the design and targeting of new programs related to soil and water conservation, such as those that include conservation agriculture practices.