A Story and Recipe From Haiti

My name is François Livert and I live in a small town called Chevalier, which is located in the commune of Coteaux in Haiti. I am a farmer. For many years I raised small crops of corn, millet, pistachios, and beans on a ¼ acre plot of land, and was barely able to support my wife and our two daughters and three sons. In 2002, I joined an Agriculture Program that Catholic Relief Services set up in Coteaux to help people like me produce more crops so that we would have enough food for our own use and also have some left over to sell at the market.
Through the Agriculture Program, I learned how to set up suitable pastures for livestock, to produce and use compost, and to build structures that protect my land from erosion. Using the knowledge I learned through the program, I have been able to increase my harvests and livestock considerably. I now own 2 cows, 15 chickens, 5 goats, 1 sheep, 2 donkeys, and‚ ½ acre of land. I also have been able to afford to buy concrete so that I could improve the construction of my house. My life has improved so much since I began working with CRS. I now volunteer to share my experiences and knowledge with other farmers in my community, so that more people can benefit as I have.

Rice and Red Beans (serves 4)

• ½ cup fresh parsley
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups cooked or canned kidney beans
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth*
• 1 cup water
• ½ can Cream of Celery soup

+ 1 cup water or juice from the kidney beans may be substituted for vegetable broth.
In a large saucepan, add first 5 ingredients into 3 Tbsp of oil. Heat through and add rice. Brown the mixture slightly for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, broth, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir and serve hot.