Ravine Sèche riverbank works reach 97.4% as Torbeck farmers cite fewer flood fears

According to HaitiLibre, 730.6 of the 750 linear meters of protection planned along the Ravine Sèche have been completed, an execution rate of about 97.4%. The gabion installation stands at nearly 78%, with 6,974.4 m³ in place out of 8,935.1 m³ planned.

The figures emerged on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during a field visit to Ferme Leblanc, in the commune of Torbeck. A delegation of World Bank, Ministry of Agriculture and PARSA coordination team representatives made the trip as part of a World Bank support mission in the Grand Sud region. The mission covers the Resilient Agriculture for Food Security Project (PARSA) and the Resilient Productive Territories Project (TPR II).

What the structures are meant to do

The gabions are designed to reduce erosion, stabilize the banks and curb the degradation of land along the watercourse. They also help shield nearby farmland from surface runoff and heavy rainfall.

PARSA coordinator Gérald Neuvième, an agronomist, said World Bank funding made the works possible. He stressed their role in protecting farmland, supporting producers' livelihoods and strengthening the resilience of rural communities.

A committee to look after the works

Agriculture Minister Marcelin Aubourg, an agronomist, called the Ferme Leblanc area a key hub for the country's agricultural production. He praised farmers for keeping up production despite the environmental challenges they face.

He urged residents to form a committee to help manage and preserve the structures. Among other tasks, it would stop sand extraction that could weaken them. The emphasis was on collective responsibility for protecting the investments made for the local population.

Local involvement and residents' view

Valens Mwumvaneza, a World Bank delegation member and project manager, said he was satisfied with the quality of the work and with the involvement of local people. He singled out the participation of women, who contributed technical input to construction. He also noted that the labor and skills the project needed were available within the community.

Beneficiaries also said they were satisfied. They recalled that heavy rains and flash floods from the ravine had long worried Ferme Leblanc residents, threatening plots, crops and livestock. They now feel better protected against bad weather.

PARSA, implemented by the MARNDR, continues its work on rural infrastructure beyond Ravine Sèche. That work aims to improve access to production areas, ease the transport of farm goods and strengthen the links between producers and markets.