The Grand Savane is a 105-acre plateau, resting 800 feet above the village of Cange in the Central Plateau of Haiti. This plateau cycles through seasonal drought caused by the drastic change in rainfall that can be observed for half of the year. The large change in rainfall prevents farmers of Cange and surrounding areas to have year-round income and produce higher yields. The agricultural practices on the Grand Savane are mainly subsistence farming, meaning individual families grow only enough to feed themselves. The Grand Savane project team is developing a sustainable water irrigation system to provide farmers with the tools that are necessary to be successful year-round and produce enough crops to have a significant increase in income. A combination of irrigation systems will be used on the plateau, in order to irrigate the land most efficiently. The water used for the system will be drawn from pumps in the lower areas of Cange, nearest to the lake, where the village retrieves its water. The team decided that the irrigation system should be inclusive of a series of pipes made from heavy duty plastic, such as polyethylene. These pipes are very mobile and allow for farmers to control where their water will be going with the use of dirt canals. The system aims to account for seasonal change in plots and ownership of the land. Additionally, a fountain with clean water will be installed for residents of the plateau. Implementation of a water solution for the Grand Savane will streamline this region to be an agricultural engine for economic development.
In addition to an irrigation system, the team is investigating the possibility of a road up to the Grand Savane. This will improve the connectivity of the plateau to nearby villages, with the intention of giving farmers a more direct route to their biggest market. The road project will connect a busy, pre-existing road to the Grand Savane to facilitate access to the plateau. All aspects of the Grand Savane project work together to bring the tools to the people living and working on the Grand Savane, so that they can continue to succeed after implementation is finished.