3 ms·

> deforestation ... in turn led to a decrease in agricultural output Can you explain your theory here? Deforestation happened all over the world and usually

> deforestation ... in turn led to a decrease in agricultural output Can you explain your theory here? Deforestation happened all over the world and usually increased agricultural output (by creating more farmland). Why do you think deforestation led to a different outcome in Haiti?

kentrado 4y ago
This was excessive deforestation due to the pressures of the debt. Which led to desertification. This excessive deforestation didn't happen in the Dominican Republic, which explains the difference. If you visit Haiti and the Dominican Republic you would be able to tell the difference in climate and soil. "To the west of the island of Hispaniola is Haiti, only 3% of which now has forest coverage. Although the Dominican Republic that makes up the east of the island still has 23%. At least 90% of Haiti’s soils have been severely degraded by deforestation and inappropriate cultivation as compared to 40% for the Dominican Republic." [1] [1] - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269670285_A_Case_Study_of_the_Desertification_of_Haiti https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269670285_A_Case_St...
- EdwardDiego 4y ago
  Not sure if desertification is the right word for "all the fertile topsoil washed off the hills in the rains, and without trees to moderate drainage, river flood more often, and those floods cover productive land downstream in infertile silt".
  - kentrado 4y ago
    Those things aren't mutually exclusive. Did you take from what I said to mean that the entire country turned into a desert? Haiti has become more desertic in some parts due to the deforestation and that causes a number of things to happen that affect soil quality including floods.
Spooky23 4y ago
Perhaps try googling “Haiti deforestation” at a bare minimum. tl;dr, they needed cash crops, the forests were cut down to grow coffee.

kentrado 4y ago

This was excessive deforestation due to the pressures of the debt. Which led to desertification. This excessive deforestation didn't happen in the Dominican Republic, which explains the difference. If you visit Haiti and the Dominican Republic you would be able to tell the difference in climate and soil. "To the west of the island of Hispaniola is Haiti, only 3% of which now has forest coverage. Although the Dominican Republic that makes up the east of the island still has 23%. At least 90% of Haiti’s soils have been severely degraded by deforestation and inappropriate cultivation as compared to 40% for the Dominican Republic." [1] [1] - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269670285_A_Case_Study_of_the_Desertification_of_Haiti https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269670285_A_Case_St...

EdwardDiego 4y ago
Not sure if desertification is the right word for "all the fertile topsoil washed off the hills in the rains, and without trees to moderate drainage, river flood more often, and those floods cover productive land downstream in infertile silt".
- kentrado 4y ago
  Those things aren't mutually exclusive. Did you take from what I said to mean that the entire country turned into a desert? Haiti has become more desertic in some parts due to the deforestation and that causes a number of things to happen that affect soil quality including floods.

Spooky23 4y ago

Perhaps try googling “Haiti deforestation” at a bare minimum. tl;dr, they needed cash crops, the forests were cut down to grow coffee.