Bringing Virtual Education to Agricultural Programs in Haiti
USAID is working to ensure access to undergraduate and graduate programs
“Can you hear us?” said Professor Pierre Absalon, from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
“Yes — we can hear (and see!) him,” said students logging in from the United States, Port-au-Prince, and Les Cayes.
Haiti is renowned for its green mountains and plains, and agriculture is one of the largest sectors of the Haitian economy with families depending on it for their livelihood. However, local agricultural production is not sufficient to ensure food security for the population given the low productivity and lack of key inputs such as improved seeds and fertilizer.
Haiti’s location, weak markets, and cheap food imports make it even more difficult for those working in the agricultural sector to thrive.
“One of the major problems the agricultural sector faces is the need for appropriate, ongoing training, starting with students and farmers, to ensure that production meets the needs of the population,” said the professor.
Unfortunately, insecurity, particularly over the past few years, often prevents students and instructors from attending classes in person.
Through a partnership with Haitian agricultural universities and Kansas State University in the United States, USAID is enhancing undergraduate and graduate education, developing and sharing course content and expertise to reinforce the agricultural sector. And to do that effectively today means going virtual.
With USAID support, six agricultural universities in Haiti are already equipped with a virtual classroom, including University of Notre Dame in Les Cayes, the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes, the Campus Henri Christophe of Limonade in Cap-Haitian, the Université Chrétienne du Nord of Limbé, the University of Notre Dame d’Haiti (UNDH), and the Faculté d’Agronomie et de Medecine Vetérinaire in Port-au-Prince.
It’s a first in Haiti, to have these courses available virtually.
Each university received USAID assistance to install 10 to 12 laptops, one computer terminal and a camera system. The internet was upgraded, and video projectors and screens were installed. The universities have also upgraded classrooms as part of their in-kind contribution, now allowing university faculty to offer synchronous (everyone is online simultaneously) and asynchronous (recorded classes that students can access anytime) course content for students across Haiti. Additionally, the system will allow faculty from outside Haiti to teach courses to students in the country, providing flexibility and covering subjects where the expertise might be lacking at Haitian universities.
“We are so happy at Notre Dame to have this virtual classroom. It will help a lot. Our university is near les Cayes (Torbeck), and sometimes teachers can’t make it. Now, they will have the option to teach from their home. This is huge!” said Father Pierre Pascal, the vice rector of Université Notre Dame d’Haiti (UNDH).
Aristil Junior, dean of UNDH’s Agronomy School added: “This will make it much easier for us to now have teachers from other universities in Haiti, and overseas. We are thankful to USAID and Kansas State University for this great partnership. With the financial support for student supplies we have been able to increase the number of students enrolled in our Bachelor of Science in Agriculture programs by more than 20. All these students will benefit from the flexibility and utility of this virtual classroom.”
The virtual classrooms will provide access to distance course content, creating a network to link on-line course offerings across the country to each university. Now specialty courses that are taught at one university can be offered to students at other universities, without the need to travel.
More than 1,000 students now have access to training opportunities through the virtual classrooms. The virtual classroom is an important part of USAID efforts to build Haiti’s capacities in the agricultural sector. By providing accessible training opportunities to Haitian professionals, USAID supports productive agricultural systems that increase food security while contributing to the resilience of systems and communities. This commitment by USAID will help build a stronger economy and increased resilience to climate change.
Students agree.
“I am so excited to have the flexibility that a virtual classroom offers,” said Charles Heroldson, a student in the program. “We missed two courses last year. The teachers couldn’t come to the universities. We hope the internet will work well, and we will have flexibility in taking classes. Haiti can be unstable at times which can prevent us from getting to the university.”
About the Authors
Capharnamie Jean-Louis is the Deputy Development Outreach and Communications Specialist at USAID Mission in Haiti. Elizabeth Guertal is a Project Manager at Kansas State University.
