Hi you all,
I am the global coordinator for the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) and its dairy development activities in developing countries. (For more on IFCN, please go to www.ifcndairy.org)
A few weeks ago I drove through much of Haitis bordering region. After my drive Ounaminthe-Hinche-Ounaminthe, I was convinced that this part of the country can benefit tremendously from milk/beef production. Some of the reasons for my opinion are: the region has plenty of grassland, hundreds of small household farms and most along the main road (good for milk collection), and several major populated centers are under 100 km away. The main challenges for milk production here are not different to those in developing countries which have considerably exploited dairy farming. I mean challenges like long dry season, small-scale and unskilled farmers, poor roads, no electricity, few to none entrepreneurs, etc. In IFCN we have collected much expertise and resources to well address such challenges in dairy development. Therefore, I want to invite any and all types of institutions/organizations planning or implementing dairy development in Haiti to contact us. You would do well by tapping into our knowledge base and global network. currently we collaborate with development organizations like FAO, and private multinationals like Nestle, Danone, etc.
For any further comment, do not hesitate to contact me: otto.garcia@ifcndairy.org or ottogarcia@web.de

Thanks a lot!
Dr. Otto Garcia, Dairy Economist
IFCN Research Center, Kiel Germany