30,000 small farmers will gain access to improved seeds and farming technologies
Haiti will increase agricultural productivity for nearly 30,000 small-scale farmers in the north and northeastern part of the country through a Technology Transfer Program that will be financed by non-reimbursable financing of US$15 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and US$25 million from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).
The program, which will be launched early in 2012 by Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR), will facilitate access to improved seeds and modern agricultural technologies. Through the program, producers will boost yields of subsistence and cash crops, including cereals, tubers, coffee and cocoa. The project will help generate income in rural areas and improve the country’s food security.
The IDB-GASFP program will provide non-reimbursable financial support to eligible farmers who adopt technological packages from a list provided by MARNDR. The program will also support the strengthening of the National Seed Service, including assistance for capacity building for control and regulation of seeds.
The technologies to be promoted have been tested in previous agricultural projects financed by the Bank or other institutions such as USAID, EMBRAPA, the World Bank, and FAO. The program will promote technologies for reestablishing Creole gardens, land preparation, and pest control, among others.