A locally rooted approach—designed with and for Haitian communities
This is not another tool exported from the Global North. It’s a framework built from the ground up—through a two-year participatory process (2021–2023) involving over 30 Haitian grassroots organizations. Professor Walner Osna (School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies), a committed scholar in the fields of development and community health, played a key role in co-developing this tool alongside a binational team of researchers.
Unlike conventional food security surveys, this tool goes further. It examines:
Gender roles in food systems
Land access and resource ownership
Traditional food cultures
Mental and environmental health
Community power and local knowledge
A living tool, a shift in perspective
This is not just a set of indicators—it’s a community-driven map of Haiti’s food systems. Rather than offering static metrics, the tool captures lived realities and helps communities articulate their own priorities. It provides a deeper, structural understanding of the forces shaping food insecurity.
“Food sovereignty isn’t just about what’s on your plate—it’s about who gets to decide what’s grown, shared, and valued,” echoes the spirit of the project.
A political and pedagogical instrument
This tool also serves as an empowerment tool. It helps reframe rural communities as active architects of change, challenging top-down aid models. It encourages NGOs, researchers, and policymakers to listen differently and work collaboratively with local actors.
By elevating traditional agricultural knowledge, collective decision-making, and cultural identity, this work—led in part by Professor Osna—offers a concrete alternative to the dominant development narratives. A timely and necessary contribution to building healthier, more just, and more resilient food systems.
Discover the full tool "Un outil d'évaluation rapide de la souveraineté alimentaire et de la santé en Haïti" (available in French only).