SOIL's Compost Boosts Crop Growth in Haiti: Eggplant Experiment
The results obtained in the plot that had KonpòsLakay were significantly better than the results obtained for the other plots in the experiment.
When the SOIL team received a message a few weeks ago from agronomy student Djimy Jean-Louis, complete with photos of some of the most beautiful eggplants we’d ever seen, we knew we had to learn more about how he grew such impressive crops. SOIL Research Associate Miselie Fanor Pierre reached out to Djimy to interview him about his research in comparing the performance of KonposLakay to other fertilizers. Turns out, eggplants love KonposLakay—and the data proves it!
Hi Djimy, my name is Miselie and I work with the SOIL Research team, thanks for chatting with us about your experiment. To start us off, can you tell us a little bit about you and your background?
Djimy: It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Miselie, and it is a pleasure to be speaking with you this morning!
My name is Djimy Jean-Louis, I am Haitian and I come from the commune of Borgne in the North department of the country. I have been in Cap-Haïtien since 2005, which is where I grew up, as well as where I completed all my classical and university studies. As for university, I studied Agronomy at Anténor Firmin University in the city of Cap-Haïtien.
Regarding what I hope to do with my diploma after my studies, I have several things in mind. I hope to work with my diploma as an Agronomist and I am very interested in working with organic fertilizers. That is why my experimental thesis is based on this, it is a way for me to see first-hand the results of organic fertilizers and then encourage people to use them.
I have always had a strong inclination towards Agro-Ecology. The course that I am currently taking teaches us about the value of growing crops in organic soil, and emphasizes using natural fertilizers in order to see the soil and its nutrient composition truly come to life. We know from research that synthetic fertilizers have certain advantages but also come with many negative long-term impacts.
For these reasons I would also like to pursue advanced studies in Agronomy - where I can explore other formulations, compositions, and examine the effects of different organic fertilizers on each group of plants. Because, you know, not all plant groups have the same nutrient requirements. Therefore, each group of plants needs a different kind of fertilizer for optimal performance.
Miselie: How interesting! So I understand that you would like not only to work after completing your degree but also to pursue advanced studies in Agro-Ecology?
Djimy: Yes, that's it!
So let’s dive in - what was your experience like using KonpòsLakay?
Djimy: I had a very beautiful experience using KonpòsLakay! For my experiment, I used 2 fertilizers to compare their effects when growing eggplants: KonpòsLakay and bone meal powder (PoudZo).
The experiment was based on planting done within a period of 80 to 90 days. I conducted the experiment on a surface area of 193 m2.
I had 36 m2 that had KonpòsLakay, 36 m2 that had bone meal powder, and 36 m2 that were the control plots which had nothing in them. We were looking at the evolution of KonpòsLakay compared to the bone meal powder to see which one gave better results, and we were also looking at the control plot when we didn’t put anything in it to see if it was better.
We started with the transplanting or planting which was on November 18, 2024. We collected data every 8 days, including the number of leaves, height of the stem, length and width of the leaves, diameter of the leaves collar, number of fruits, and weight or mass of the fruits. Each plot had 25 plants in it. And to collect the data, we took a sample from 5 plants from each plot which was about 20%.
This was done every 8 days after transplanting from November until February. From the harvest, I took data on the number of fruits per plant and their weight.
I concluded that it is KonpòsLakay that gives the best results. The comparison shows that the results we obtained in the plot that had KonpòsLakay were significantly better than the results we obtained for the other plots.
What interested me at this stage of analysis was the number of fruits and the mass of fruits. When I went to do the harvest I weighed all the KonpòsLakay plots, the bone meal powder plots, and the control plots separately.
For the plots that had KonpòsLakay, I harvested 45 fruits, weighing 34.5 pounds. For the plots that had bone meal powder, I harvested 33 fruits weighing 20.5 pounds. And for the plots that had nothing (the control plot), I harvested only 19 fruits weighing 11 pounds.
Although I planted the same number of plants in each plot. This means that in relation to all this data, based on the parameters I considered before the harvest, combined with the results I obtained from the harvest for the quantity and weight of fruits, I agree that the results of KonpòsLakay exponentially exceeded the results from both the bone meal powder and the control plots.
Congratulations on completing your thesis! Are there any next steps in your research?
Thank you for the congratulations!
The subject of the thesis was: Comparative studies of the effects of two fertilizers on the cultivation of Solanum Melongena (eggplant) in the Quartier Morin municipality, Basse Plaine communal section, Ti Charite locality in 2025.
The next step I foresee for my research, as I mentioned earlier, is to conduct a higher study in Agro-Ecology.
Another thing I would like to emphasize is that I hope there will be other experiments conducted where they will use KonpòsLakay and other organic fertilizers on a larger area. That is why I made this recommendation in my research document. Since my experiment showed that KonpòsLakay gave the best results, I recommended that if someone wants to justify what I said, they can always use KonpòsLakay against another organic fertilizer on a larger area. Perhaps future students can follow the same method of research.
And lastly, what did you cook with all those beautiful eggplants!
Djimy: (Laugh) Well, the eggplants took on a lot of different paths for themselves!
I sold the first harvest to cover all my expenses related to inserting the data into an operating system related to the research. But in the following harvests, I did all sorts of things: I made stir fried vegetables with them and I gave several to other friends and neighbors who really enjoyed them. I also prepared sauteed eggplant with steamed white rice, and yes - I was the one who cooked it!
Miselie: Sounds delicious! We will end the interview here. Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your wonderful experience with KonpòsLakay with us! And as you mentioned in your thesis recommendation, we hope that other students will be interested in conducting more experiments using KonpòsLakay.
Djimy: I am the one who should thank SOIL!
ENTÈVYOU AK DJIMY (an Kreyòl)
Pale nou yon ti kras de ou,
Ki non w konplè? Ki kote ou te etidye oswa resevwa diplòm ou kòm agronòm? Ki sa ou swete fè ak diplòm ou aprè ou fini ak etid yo? Èske gen yon domèn espesyal ki enterese w plis?
Djimy: Mwen salyew Madame Miselie, se yon plezi poum avèk nou maten an!
Mwen se Jean-Louis Djimy, Ayisyen, mwen soti nan komin Borgne ki nan depatman Nò. Mwen Okap depi 2005, se la mwen grandi, fè tout etid klasik ak inivèsite mwen. Men pou sa ki gen rapò ak inivèsite mwen, se nan Inivèsite Anténor Firmin ki nan vil Okap mwen etidye kòm Agronòm.
Pou sa mwen swete fè avèk diplom mwen aprè etid yo, mwen gen plizyè bagay nan tèt mwen. Youn nan objektif tout moun ki chwazi fè etid, menm lè etidyan an antre nan premyè ane, si se yon etid 4 an, objektif prensipal li se fè 4 an vit aprè sa poul travay. Se menm bagay pou mwen ! Mwen swete travay avèk diplom mwen kòm Agronòm, epi mwen enterese a angrè òganik anpil. Se pou sa ke memwa eksperimantal mwen an se sou sa li baze, yon fason pou mwen wè rezilta angrè òganik bay epi ankouraje moun itilizel. Se sak fè m gen anpil panchan pou yon kou ki rele Agro-Ecologie. Se yon kou ki mete an valè sòl la, kote yo itilize angrè òganik sèlman jis pou gade sòl la an vi, piske nou konnen angrè sentetik yo gen avantaj men tou, yo gen anpil enkonvenyan, yo gen anpil retonbe negatif sou sòl la. Se sak fèm, aprè m fin fè lisans mwen kòm Agronòm, mwen ta renmen fè etid avanse kote m ka wè lòt fabrikasyon, konpozisyon, epi gade ki efè lòt angrè òganik fè sou chak gwoup plant paske tout gwoup pa gen menm egzijans an eleman nitritif. Donk chak gwoup plant yo gen egzijans pa yo. Mwen tap swete fè etid avanse kote m ka gade chak gwoup angrè òganiik yo, efè yo sou chak gwoup plant yo. Se yon bagay m ta renmen avanse ladanl.
Miselie: Se enteresan! Donk m kapab konprann ke ou ta renmen non sèlman travay aprèw fin fè lisans ou men tou, ou ta renmen fè etid avanse nan Agro-Ecologie ?
Djimy : Wi se sa !
Pale nou plis de eksperyans rechèch ou te fè sou berejèn ak KonpòsLakay:
Ki lòt kalite angrè ou te konpare ak KonpòsLakay la? Poukisa ou panse se KonpòsLakay ki bay pi bon rezilta?
Djimy : Se te yon trè bèl eksperyans kem te fè ak KonpòsLakay ! Poum te fè eksperyans lan mwen te itilize 2 angrè. Se KonpòLakay kem te mete fas a poud zo, m kraze zo yo fè poud avèk yo poum te gade evolisyon yo. Piske konpòs la genyen eleman nitritif ki bon pou obèjin nan, zo a tou li genyen eleman nitritif ladanl. Se te yon eksperyans ki soti de plantasyon oubyen repikaj ki te fèt nan yon entèval de 80 a 90 jou. Mwen te fè eksperyans lan sou yon sipèfisi de 193 m2 ki se tout pasèl kem te reyalize eksperyans lan sou li. Men andan sifas sa a, mwen te genyen 108 m2 ki se sifas kiltivab la, epi 84m2 ki se sifas non kiltivab. Sifas non kiltivab la se yon sifas ki te konstitye de ale kote moun ka pase, si yon moun bezwen pase pou wouze, pou sakle etc. Aprè sa, andan 108m2 ki se sifas kiltivab la, te gen 12 sou pasèl ke nou ka rele inite eksperimantal. Andan 12 inite eksperimantal sa yo, 4 nan yo te gen KonpòsLakay, 4 te gen poud zo epi 4 lòt yo pat gen anyen sou yo, nou ka rele 4 sa yo pasèl temwen. Chak inite paselè sa yo te mezire 9m2. Mwen te gen 36m2 ki te gen konpòs sèlman, 36m2 ki te gen poud zo epi 36m2 ki se pasèl temwen yo ki pa gen anyen ladan l. Nou tap gade evolisyon konpòs la parapò a poud zo pou nou wè kiyès ki bay pi bon rezilta, epi nou tap gade pasèl temwen an tou, lè nou pa mete anyen ladanl pou nou wè si se li ki pi bon.
Pou nou te fè sa, gen yon ansanm de paramèt nou tap travay sou yo pandan peryòd sa a. Nou te kòmanse apati kote nou te fè repikaj la oubyen plantasyon an ki se te 18 Novanm. Nou te gen done nou tap kolekte chak 8 jou, tankou kantite fèy, wotè tij, longè ak lajè fèy, dimèt kolè, kantite fwi ak pwa oubyen mwas fwi yo. Chak inite paselè te gen 25 plant ladan yo. Men pou nou pran done yo, nou te pran yon echantiyon nan chak inite paselè ki se 20% de 25 plant yo. Sa fè nou te pran 5 plant nan chak inite paselè. Donk, chak 8 jou, mwen te gen poum te pran wotè tij nan 5 plant nan chak pasèl. Sa vle di pou 4 inite paselè ki te gen konpòs, m te gen poum te pran pou 20 plant. Mwen fè menm travay la pou chak sa ki te gen poud zo ak sa ki pat gen anyen ki se pasèl temwen an. Sa vle di chak 8 jou mwen te gen poum te pran wotè tij, longè fèy, lajè fèy, nonb de plant, nonb de fèy sou 60 plant antou. Sa te fèt de 8 jou aprè repikaj la, jiska 12 Fèvrier kotem pral plante. Apati de rekòt la, mwen te pran done sou nonb de fwi pou chak pye ak pwa fwi yo. De 8 jou aprè repikaj jiska florezon, mwen tap pran done sa yo. Men apati de florezon, mwen te kanpe done sa yo paske lè plant lan nan stad sa a li frajil, sim nan souke li, flè yo ka tonbe.
Mwen konkli ke se KonpòsLakay ki bay pi bon rezilta, paske janm te diw sa, nou te pran done sa yo de 8 jou aprè repikaj jiska rekòt la, mwen konpare done sa yo pou tout peryòd la pou chak fwi nan 3 pasèl yo, konparezon an montre ke rezilta nou jwenn nan pasèl ki te gen KonpòLakay la siperyè lontan pase rezilta nou jwenn pou lòt pasèl yo. Mwen fèl menm jan an tou lèm rive nan rekòt, paske janm te diw la, mwen te kanpe kontwòl paramèt sa yo lèm te rive nan florezon. Sa ki vin enteresem kounye a se nonb de fwi ak mas de fwi. Lèm vin fè rekòt la m vin fè menm jan an, m peze tout pasèl konpòs yo, poud zo yo ak temwen yo apa. Fòk mwen diw tou kem te fè plizyè rekòt, men se premye a mwen konsidere pou etid mwen an e se ladanl sèlman mwen te pran mezi yo. Pou pasèl ki te gen konpòs la, mwen rekòlte 45 fwi, ki peze 34.5 liv. Pou pasèl ki te gen poud zo a, mwen te rekòlte 33 fwi ki peze 20.5 liv. Epi pou pasèl ki pat gen anyen an (pasèl temwen an) mwen te rekòlte 19 fwi sèlman ki te peze 11 liv. Alòske mwen te plante menm kantite plant nan chak pasèl yo. Sa vle di parapò a tout done sa yo, depi nan paramèt mwen te konsidere avan rekòt la, mete sou rezilta mwen vin jwenn nan rekòt la pou kantite ak pwa fwi, mwen vin dakò ke rezilta konpòs la depase ni poud zo ni pasèl temwen yo.
Ki sa ki te sijè memwa ou? Èske ou prevwa lòt etap pou rechèch ou a? Epi FELISITASYON!
Djimy: Mèsi pou felilisitasyon yo !
Sijè memwa a se : Etudes comparatives des effets de deux fertilisants sur la culture de Solanum Melongena (aubergine) dans la commune de Quartier Morin, section communale de Basse Plaine, localité Ti Charite en 2025.
Lòt etap mwen prevwa pou rechèch mwen an, se jan mwen te diw déjà talè a, se fè yon etid siperyè nan Agro-Ecologie.
Lòt bagay mwen ta renmen soulinye, sèke mwen tap swete ke gen lòt eksperyans ki fèt kote yap itilize KonpòsLakay la ak lòt angrè òganik sou yon sipèfisi ki pi laj. Se sak fè mwen te bay sa kòm rekòmandasyon nan dokiman rechèch mwen an. Piske eksperyans mwen an dim se KonpòsLakay ki bay pi bon rezilta, m te bay sa kòm rekòmandasyon pou si yon moun ta vle jistifye sam di a li ka toujou itilize KonpòsLakay la fas a yon lòt angrè òganik sou yon pi gran sipèfisi. Petèt lòt etidyan kap vini yo ka suiv menm linye a.
Pou nou fini, ki sa ou te kuit ak tout bèl berejèn sa yo?
Djimy : Rire… Berejèn yo te fè anpil pakou ! Mwen te vann premye rekòt la, paske mwen te dwe ensere done yo nan yon kont eksplwatasyon ki andan travay la se sak fèm te oblije vann yo poum te ka gen montan parapò a tout depans mwen te fè yo. Men nan lòt rekòt ki vini aprè yo, mwen te fè legim avèk yo, mwen te bay plizyè lòt moun ki te vrèman apresye yo. Mwen te fèl ak diri blan tou e se mwen menm ki te fè manje a ayyy, se mwen ki pou diw ki jan li te bon..rire.
Miselie : Interview a fini la, mèsi anpil paskew te pran tan pouw te diskite avèk nou sou bèl eksperyans kew te fè ak KonpòsLakay ! Epi janw te fè rekòmandasyon an, nou swete ke gen lòt etidyan kap vini aprèw kap enterese fè lòt eksperyans ak konpòs la.
Djimy : Se mwen ki pou remèsye SOIL !