The mission of this project is to change the current status in Haiti by offering a new possibility for establishing a better future through an increase in economic possibilities.
The "Into the Banana Tree" project is a demonstration of an economically sustainable program that uses the entire banana plant and bamboo stalks in order to promote a no waste plantation that is able to maximize its possibilities. The production items will include crops, textiles, and building materials.
The proposed crops include organic cooking bananas, bamboo stalk, banana leaves, and banana heart. These crops are extremely economical in the area because of the organic possibilities. Bananas are extremely hard to grow organically because of Black Sigatoka, and Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV). Both use pesticides and other chemicals in order to make sure that the crop is not lost, making standard cultivation non-organic. Haiti has a unique climate, which according to a
report prepared for the Office of Evaluation and Studies of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Rome in June 2002 in there case study of organic bananas in the Dominican Republic, the southern portions of the countries where the hot dry climates create an area where the bugs that plague these plants cannot survive. This makes a very unique opportunity for an organic crop.
The proposed textiles are to create both banana and bamboo cloth. These cloths will be made sustainably and under an economic situation that is able to be able to be made with the fair trade stamp. Fair trade according to TransFair USA is a, "Certification [that] empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. This way proffit from all goods is higher than the standard wages, as well as the profit partially going to the surrounding community. This is a way to help the area reach out of poverty as the well as empower the community.
The proposed building materials are bamboo concrete reinforcement, bamboo boards, weaved bamboo corrugated roofing, and a composite paneling system. These materials can be used to improve the building standard of the country. These materials will improve these in both structural capabilities, as well as in architectural form and aesthetic.
