As agrarian practices return to the urban space, a lack of understanding between the urban farmers and local city officials is stunting the development and economic sustainability of urban agriculture. Many promoters of urban agriculture fail to grasp the modern reality of operating a significant venture within a zoned municipal space. A failure to account for all potential stakeholders in the planning of these agricultural projects can cause unforeseen delays in execution and economic disaster. The needs of the agricultural installation must be balanced with the complexities of the city systems, and modern zoning procedures take multiple perspectives into account. There are numerous variables and considerations that must be evaluated in the creation of an urban farm that developers accustomed to working within the rural environment may not naturally include in their thinking. City planning and neighborhood integration must be addressed to ensure smooth geographic transition between the farming operation and further local real estate market development. The urban agricultural project developer will be required to demonstrate that the logistical needs of the enterprise can be accommodated within the existing infrastructure or be willing to upgrade the lacking requirement. Odor abatement and visual occlusion may be required. These complex elements of successfully installing an agricultural enterprise within an urban environment often frustrate successful project managers with agrarian backgrounds and cause them to pay minimal attention to the requirements of urban operation. Unfortunately, it can be clearly demonstrated that to do so is fraught with peril. Without thoughtful design, many urban agriculture efforts have slow growth, and the impact of these design failures on the progression of these enterprises is immense.

Recent tragedies have placed a global spotlight on the county of Haiti, which many observers believe to be a nation mired in incurable poverty. Many organizations in the developed world have previously engaged in various projects and relief efforts to improve the living conditions in the country and develop the infrastructure of the nation. However, some observers have questioned the sustainability and beneficial results of these efforts. There is a reasonable concern that some of these projects generate more harm than good. Strategically, it is necessary to consider whether sustainable development occurs through these efforts, and if not, what changes can be made to improve the benefits from outside intervention for people living in the developing world. This paper will provide a framework for that evaluation, by looking at the history of development efforts in Haiti, primarily through examining the nation under a lens of food security and resource development, two commonly accepted metrics for economic development. The paper will then explore suggested means of making future efforts more sustainable and effective using techniques that have had proven success elsewhere within the developing world. Finally, the paper will examine the specific focused efforts of personnel associated with the Village of Hope, a successful educational and health care NGO mission in Gantier. It will be demonstrated that much of the success of the Village of Hope is based upon their recognition of these fundamental effective development techniques.