he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved $60 million of non-reimbursable financing to improve the food security of rural households, including farmers, fishers, seafood merchants, and rural workers of Haiti, by promoting rural productivity and connectivity to rural markets.

The project will be co-financed with $18.3 million from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).

The agriculture, fisheries, and rural infrastructure activities proposed in the program will increase productivity and income while promoting the sustainable management of the critical resources on which rural beneficiaries depend.

The program will support farmers' adoption of agricultural technologies through technical assistance, improving food availability through increased production, and food access through higher agricultural revenues. A menu of agricultural technologies has been developed based on their food security relevance, climate adaptation potential, and the environmental sustainability of different crops. Farmers will have the option to choose among these technological packages. This component includes actions specifically targeted to women and youth participation, with packages targeted to women's activities to be included in the menu.

The program will also support around 65 fisher and merchant associations to adopt sustainable practices that will improve fishers' food security through improved productivity while ensuring the sustainability of marine resources. These associations will also be able to acquire boats, engines, fish conservation, and processing equipment through a matching grant mechanism.

Finally, through its rural infrastructure component, the project aims to improve road accessibility and decrease transportation costs, production losses and increase access to markets through the rehabilitation of rural roads. It will also invest in climate-resilient public infrastructure, including fish landing infrastructure and fish markets, and technical assistance to local government and fishers' associations to ensure sustainable operations and the proper maintenance of fishing facilities.

This program is aligned with the IDB's Vision 2025, which prioritizes social inclusion and equality, productivity and innovation, economic integration, and resilience to climate change. The funds will be disbursed over a five-year period, starting in 2022.

HL/ HaitiLibre