Diagnostic Study of the Samana River Catchment Area, Hinche

The diagnostic study of the Samana River catchment area (CA) provides an overview of this section of the Central Highlands in Haiti's Centre Department. In this specific area of the Central Highlands, there are 2,185 inhabitants (437 households) who depend on natural resources for their livelihood, representing a population density of 24 inhabitants per square kilometre. Around 90.3% of farmers' plots cover an area of less than one acre, and over 30% are farmed using indirect cultivation methods, which makes the environment susceptible to degradation, heavy pressure and poor agricultural practices. In terms of education, over 50% of heads of households are illiterate, but fewer than 5% of their children cannot read or write. Agriculture and livestock farming are the main economic activities of the inhabitants, and these activities are based in particular on food crops and cereals, cattle, goats and poultry, with a focus on guinea fowl and cowpeas (Cajanus cajan), which represent high economic potential in the area, especially given the secure and open market in the neighbouring republic.