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Approaches, policies & strategies in Haiti

Under the democratically elected government that has been in office since May 2006, Haiti reached the decision point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative in November 2006, becoming eligible for debt relief for investments in pro-poor programmes.

The country presented its strategy for poverty reduction to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in late 2007. Haiti’s National Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (DSNCRP), endorsed in 2008, considers agriculture a pillar of pro-poor growth. The document outlines two stages of action. During the first stage, from 2007 to 2009, the strategy calls for a modest growth in GDP of about 4 per cent while the government maintains its budgetary and monetary policy for correcting internal and external imbalances and stabilizing inflation, which is projected at 7 per cent for 2008/2009. During the second stage, from 2009 to 2011, it is expected that the rate of growth might accelerate to about 7.5 per cent.

Using a participatory approach, the government has determined three strategic policy aims for the period from 2007 to 2011:

• to promote the growth engines of agriculture and rural development, tourism and infrastructure modernization
• to strengthen basic social services such as education, health, water supply and sanitation
• to improve democratic governance, particularly in the areas of justice, security and modernization of the State

The government gives priority to agriculture and rural development with the overall objective of promoting a modern, wealth-generating agriculture that respects the environment, ensures food security for all and improves farmers’ standards of living. Development of the private sector, mainly small-scale farmers, is a government priority in agriculture.

The 2006-2007 elections for local government and the governing councils of communal divisions placed local authorities once more in a key position to further rural development. Their presence and the recent law on decentralization are advantageous for future development.

A particularly severe crisis in 2008 was the result of the adverse effects on agriculture of the 2007 hurricane season and the sharp rise in international food prices. It is foreseen that the difficult situation will continue because of the climatic events of the 2008 hurricane season and its effects on agricultural production.

Source: IFAD

Haiti’s National Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (DSNCRP): English ׀ Français