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Getting things together again in Haiti
 In 1991, internal disturbances and the
subsequent international embargo brought Haiti's already
fragile economy to its knees. All major international
assistance programmes came to a halt. Lack of imported
fertilizers, seeds, spare parts for agricultural machinery
and other essential inputs led to a widespread breakdown of
agricultural services and food production.
From 1992 to 1994 FAO obtained substantial contributions from two major food aid donors - Canada and the EC - for emergency assistance to destitute Haitian farmers. The money was used to implement a series of agricultural relief and early recovery projects to supply bean, maize and sorghum seeds as well as hand tools and other inputs, and to restore input supply services. A special effort was made to boost local seed production by farmers' organizations and commercial farms. This effort led to the building up of a national seed industry. In addition, a network of community-owned retail shops was set up, enabling farmers to access basic inputs at reasonable prices. An independent evaluation of these projects concluded that they have provided the basis for an exemplary evolution in food aid from relief to genuine recovery. In December 1994, soon after the new government took office, an FAO mission visited Haiti to assess basic agricultural rehabilitation and reconstruction needs. Its main proposals concerned irrigation: rehabilitation of existing works and improvements to small and medium-sized schemes. Other proposals covered watershed management, rural infrastructure and fisheries. Several donors and financing institutions expressed interest, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IFAD, UNDP, the EC and France. FAO was asked to prepare an irrigation project for IDB and a project for intensified crop development for IFAD. Both have been prepared and financing approval is expected shortly.
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