Located on the western side, Haiti shares the Hispaniola Island with the Dominican Republic and occupies a surface of 27,750 km2. It is mainly
mountainous, with more than 60% of the land having slopes over 40%. Farming activities are considered the cornerstone of the Haitian
economy because more than 60% of the population lives in the countryside and earn a living from farming activities. Statistics for 2003
indicate a national GDP of 3.46 billion dollars from which farming activities account for only 25%. However, in spite of these published
figures, some areas of agricultural production have been identified in 2004–2005, as generating more than 1 billion dollars of income that
were redistributed in rural areas.