Vetiver Vetiver (Haiti)

Why Haiti?

About half of the world’s vetiver oil is produced in Haiti. Vetiver grows well in the country’s sunny climate, and it’s hearty enough to survive the common floods and droughts in the Caribbean.

The Harvesting and Distillation Process

Vetiver is a member of the grass family. Its root system can grow down to 13 feet—ideal for erosion prevention. Unlike most grass roots, vetiver’s roots grow vertically rather than horizontally.

Vetiver essential oil is distilled from the roots. The more time vetiver roots spend in the ground, the higher the quality of its essential oil, so our farmers are paid a premium to leave the roots in the ground longer. Ideally, vetiver should be harvested 12 to 18 months after planting.

Empowering People: Promoting Cooperatives

We encourage and help Haitian farmers to join cooperatives. These cooperatives provide farmers with rights and bargaining power, ensuring fair prices, access to prepayments, and long-term contracts. Cooperatives also provide regular training on the best growing and harvesting practices. We’ve provided consistent, reliable income and storage warehouses for the cooperatives, where vetiver roots can be collected before distillation or stored to dry during the rainy season.

Impact Stories: Social Impact

The doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation® has funded several projects to improve the lives of sourcing communities in Haiti:

• Clean water systems, including three hurricane-resistant water stations. One such 600-gallon water station held up to both the M7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti on August 14, 2021, and Category 4 Hurricane Grace, which tore through the same area two days later. These water stations reliably provide life’s most precious resource to thousands of families in the Les Cayes area.

• A new foundation, retaining wall, 10 classrooms, toilets, basketball court, and utilities for a local school of 132 students. Furniture and school supplies were also provided for each student.

• A vetiver warehouse that serves as a gathering point and office for cooperative members, as well as a place to safely store harvested vetiver roots—increasing the capacity for harvest collection and improving delivery times. The warehouse keeps the vetiver dry during the rainy season, allowing farmers to store their products so essential oil can be produced even during the rainy season or after hurricanes.

doTERRA Co-Impact Sourcing: Vetiver

Partnering with Rapha International, the doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation helped fund the construction and opening of a state-of-the-art aftercare center in Haiti that provides rehabilitation for children rescued from sex trafficking. The aftercare includes basic care, counseling, medical attention, education, and vocational training for rescued children.