Agridev

Developing new markets: AGRIDEV facilitates access to new markets in the United States and Europe, most notably for coffee (specialty Haitian Bleu® and “fair trade” labels), cacao, mango (in close cooperation with ANEM and FENAPCOM) and for a variety of ethnic products (yam, tropical pumpkin) with high diaspora demand. Approaches taken include market studies, exporter visits to foreign markets and foreign buyer visits to Haiti. AGRIDEV also assists producers and exporters to access value added markets, such as organics and processed fruit products.

Facilitating access to credit: Improving agricultural production requires significant levels of financial investment. AGRIDEV staff have helped farmer groups access loans for marketing by encouraging lending by local financial institutions, particularly FONKOZE.

Increasing competition: Low product prices are in part due to inadequate market structure, which favors intermediaries with means of transportation and knowledge about retail prices. AGRIDEV works with producer groups to educate them about agricultural marketing, in some cases setting up direct linkages between cooperatives and exporters, thereby shortening the supply chain and increasing prices paid to farmers. This action also causes intermediaries to increase the prices they offer to farmers in order to “compete” with the direct marketing activities. Another important contribution has been the development of a product price distribution system, which informs rural market participants about current market prices in their own locality and in Port-au-Prince and helps farmers negotiate better deals.

Improving product quality: Part of the reason for low farm gate prices is the poor quality of the produce coming out of the fields. AGRIDEV implements quality improvement programs for all of its focus commodities, including producer training about quality standards, supplying improved varieties and clean seeds and planting materials, and producing and distributing printed material in kreyol clearly demonstrating the difference between desirable and undesirable product characteristics.

In the case of specialty coffee, AGRIDEV President Stephan Jean Pierre supervised a major contribution to the processing infrastructure of the coffee cooperative federation FACN, significantly increasing its ability to buy, process and export world-class specialty coffee.

Increased production and quality depend in part upon farmers changing their farming practices. AGRIDEV staff have introduced a number of tried and true techniques, such as pruning and grafting to increase tree crop productivity, introduction of newer, more productive crop varieties, and off season planting and harvesting to take advantage of market “windows” – times of the year when prices are highest.

Rehabilitation of irrigation systems: AGRIDEV staff have been very active and successful in the rehabilitation of irrigation systems on the Plain de Gonaives, Trois Riviere and elsewhere. Using an innovative contract model between private sector construction firms and water user associations, AGRIDEV is able to ensure efficient repair of physical infrastructure. Most important is our methodology for strengthening water user groups, including intensive water system management training, effective levying of water user fees, as well as the introduction and intensification of high-value crops which increase incomes while ensuring the longer term viability of the irrigation systems.

The combined effect of the interventions described above has led a significant change in the mindset of many Haitian farmers. Because they are able to make significant money from their production activities, they are becoming more interested in investing their labor and gourdes in improving their production systems. We have seen, for example, private nursery businesses spring up that sell seedlings to farmers without direct subsidies. We see significant adoption of the practices recommended by technicians, including pruning and grafting, use of better planting materials, and more attention to post harvest activities. The rural incentive system is evolving to the point where farmers see themselves as producers of products, rather than harvesters of donor subsidies without a stake in the future.

Organization of the rural sector is crucial to lowering marketing costs and making small farmers competitive in domestic and export markets. AGRIDEV helps producer groups learn marketing techniques, negotiate with buyers, and achieve managerial and financial efficiency and transparency so that an appropriate share of the gains from increased efficiency flow to the farmers rather than just to the pockets of group leaders.