Monsanto Donates Seeds to Haiti

The earthquake-ravaged Haiti received a $4 million worth of conventional hybrid corn and vegetable seeds from the agricultural company Monsanto, just in time for the planting season. The seeds donated include corn, cabbage, carrot, eggplant, melon, onion, tomato, spinach, and watermelon. The Haitian Ministry of Agriculture ensured that the seeds donated were appropriate for the environmental conditions and farming practices of their country.

The initial shipment of 60 tons of seeds was transported to Haiti via air and seaport, with the aid of Kuehne + Nagel and UPS. It will be distributed to Haitian farmers by the WINNER project, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Aside from the distribution of seeds, the WINNER project wil also provide technical services and other inputs, such as fertilizer, needed by farmers to manage the crops.

According to Jean Robert Estimé, the director of the WINNER project, they aim to reach 10,000 farmers. He believes that the vegetables and grains that will be produced by the seeds donated  by Monsanto will provide food and economic opportunities for farmers, their families, and their community. "Agriculture is key to the long-term recovery," he said.

The complete article is available at http://www.croplife.com/news/?storyid=2633.