Project Name：National Rice Seed Production Enhancement Project in South, Haiti

Project status：Completed projects

Cooperating Country：Caribbean, Haiti

Project Description：

According to the World Health Organization Report of Food and Agriculture (2017), Haiti was hit by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. The southern region suffered a loss of US$2.8 billion (32 percent of GDP). The loss of agriculture was US$573 million (7 percent of GDP), resulting in a 50 percent drop in agricultural production. It is estimated that there are more than 1.4 million people who need food aid. Haiti is the only country that needs external food aid in Latin America and the Caribbean. Haiti President Jovenel Moïse has made improving food security a priority, with the intention to enhance rice production in the southern provinces of Haiti, increase farmers’ income and improve social stability. In response, the country filed a request for assistance from Taiwan. This project will mainly focus on farmers’ organizations.

Project implementation will include: (1) Improve the availability of regional agricultural materials: By introducing regional seed banks and mentoring seed production techniques for farmers, develop regional seed supply systems and improve farmers' cultivation techniques. (2) Strengthen agricultural production efficiency: Establish agricultural machinery rental and cultivation system, assist farmers’ organizations in improving automation of land preparation, and reorganize the agricultural machinery center to become the regional agricultural machine parts supply and training center. (3) Ensure the operations of agricultural irrigation and drainage services: Establish a regional irrigation and drainage management and maintenance mechanism to ensure that farmers can properly cultivate fields in accordance with the growing period. (4) Guide farmers’ organizations in operating as an agribusiness: Guiding farmers’ organizations to establish multiple regional joint service centers which can provide regional rice milling and marketing services, and coordinating the agricultural machinery teams.

To watch the video made by the TaiwanICDF: Rice Seed Production Capacity Enhancement Project in Haiti

Le project de renforcement des capacite de production de semences de riz en Haiti

Implementation Start Date：2018-01-05

Implementation End Date：2022-12-31

Project Objectives：

1. Establish a community seed bank system to produce community rice seeds (truthfully labeled seeds) which have the capacity to produce at least 2,000 ha of rice in Les Cayes area.
2. Introduce an agricultural machinery rental system: Organize 20 automation teams with at least 80 power tillers to offer land preparation services.
3. Create GIS-based agricultural irrigation maps for real-time water management, with the management mechanism to interconnect and coordinate the use of irrigation water.
4. Establish 20 rice joint service centers (milling center): Using rice from the field as a guarantee, farmers can obtain materials and land plowing services through the credit.

Executing Agency：

Taiwan Technical Mission in the Republic of Haiti / Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development of Haiti

Current Progress：

To the end of 2022, the following activities have been completed：
1. Producer 7,001 tons for 50,010 Ha rice production field for two cropping seasons per year in south area.

2. Complete the rice seed extension field irrigation canal cleaning and maintenance total 46,871 meters.
3. Completed 25 rice production training for 983 farmers.
4.  Conducted farmers’ organizations to establishe and operate 20 multiservice centers .
5. Organized 4 rice field observation tours, 570 farmers participated in study and observation.
6. Conducted machinery operation techniques training courses. Trained 60 technicians in repair and maintenance techniques and 240 operators in machinery operation techniques.
7. Organized farmers’ organizations to formed 20 automation teams.

Project Contact：Ken Hua Chang

Phone：+886-2-28732323 Ext.6045

E-mail：k.h.chang@icdf.org.tw

Projected Benefits：Increase rice production in the southern provinces of Haiti; at the end of the project, at least 1,200 hectares of paddy rice fields in the area have reached a total of 10 metric tons per hectare for two cropping seasons per year.

Mission：Taiwan Technical Mission in the Republic of Haiti