VOA标准英语2010年-Officials Plan to Improve Haiti's Food

"Women were putting water in the fields. They were saying, 'I want to save our food.' That is encouraging, to see how [the farmers] stand up again after this tragedy."

In Jacmel, an area south of Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince, crops of sugar cane¹, corn and beans are maturing. They will be ready to harvest in a few weeks. But the earthquake has damaged the irrigation system providing them with water.

Javier Escobedo, who traveled to the area to assess the damage for the UN food and agriculture organization, says he sees hopeful signs among local farmers.

"I was surprised because, in particular the women were in the fields, putting water in the fields. They were saying, 'I want to save our food.' That is encouraging, to see how [the farmers] stand up again after this tragedy."

While hundreds of thousands of Haitians are surviving on emergency food aid, officials are beginning to consider how to get food production in Haiti up and running again.

Repairing damaged irrigation systems and roads top the 'to-do' list for reconstruction².

Seed shortage

AP Photo

Escobedo says farmers also face a looming³ shortage of seeds. With food in short supply, seeds that would have been used to start next season's crops will likely be eaten instead. And he adds that the seed business suffered in the quake as well.

"The commercial traders of seeds are closed," he says. "One of the biggest providers collapsed⁴. So, there's going to be a gap in the provision of seed."

To fill the gap, he says, Haitians will need to import tons more bean and maize⁵ seeds than normal.

Urban exodus⁶ increases rural food demand

Escobedo adds that the mass migration⁷ of hundreds of thousands of people out of Port-au-Prince to the countryside has created another problem.

"These people are consumers," he says, "They are not producers. So, it's going to [create a great deal of] pressure on the land. They need food."

Haitian agriculture minister Joanas Gué agrees that the exodus will increase the food demands in the countryside. And he says farmers will need to change how they distribute and sell their produce because Port-au-Prince will no longer be the primary market for the rural areas.

Backyard gardens

Escobedo says one strategy FAO and others are proposing to ward⁸ off hunger in the coming months is to supply people with seeds and planting boxes to grow some lettuce⁹, tomatoes, carrots, and other vegetables. These backyard gardens can help ensure a source of food and even provide a little income when the garden produces a surplus.  The FAO had previously¹⁰ promoted these simple container gardens to help tens of thousands of Port-au-Prince city dwellers¹¹ improve their diets.

Haiti had serious problems with food security before the earthquake. More than half the population was undernourished. Agriculture minister Joanas Gué will be traveling to Washington and Rome next week to ask donors¹² to support a $700 million proposal to improve food production in the country.

Gué says he will advocate for the plan to boost agricultural production in Haiti once and for all, making food more available. But especially important, he says, will be working for the long term to create strategic food reserves that will enable the country to quickly respond in times of crisis, such as this one.
 

1 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

2 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

6 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

7 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

8 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

9 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

10 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

11 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》