Here are two photos of plants that could change things here in Haiti. The top photo is KENAF which we planted a couple of months ago. I've been told that it is ideal food for rabbits and chickens (even people) which is good news for us as food expenses run high for these critters. The bottom photo is JATROPHA and we have big plans for this one. The seeds of the jatropha can be pressed for biofuel and some of it can be used immediately. If we had a filter system we could use more of it. Animals do not take to the plant so they would be ideal for reforesting the naked mountains around here. It isn't a tree so folks will be less inclined to cut them down for carpentry needs or charcoal. The leaves are medicinal (anti-inflammatory) and the part of the seed that we don't use makes good compost. Imagine fields of these growing all over Haiti. Haitians could gather the seeds and sell them for processing or make their own biofuel, a natural alternative to fossil fuel which is super expensive here. We're looking for a large NGO to help us turn this seemingly little plant into a major catalyst in Haiti's recovery.
