Feed the Future: Has Anything Changed in USAID's Support to Haiti's Agricultural Development?.

The US government has supported agriculture in Haiti for nearly a century. USAID has a long history of funding development projects focused on soil conservation, agroforestry, crop production, farming systems research and extension, watershed management, agricultural marketing enhancement, etc. Yet one does not get a sense of progress being made proportional to the investment. Although positive results are achieved during the period of a project, these projects are often characterized by changing goals and directions within projects, lack of continuity between projects and lack of a long-term strategy. Gains made in one project may be lost by the time USAID returns to a project with similar objectives. When research is associated with a project, it usually is started after extension activities have begun, such that when the research results are available, the project is over and research results are not utilized. The author carried out an assessment of one Feed the Future project and is involved with a second project. These projects have invested large amounts to improve Haitian agriculture in key watersheds and represent increases in size and complexity. Yet many problems persist, including lack of a long-term strategy, unrealistic goals (double yields of 50,000 farmers in one year) and micromanagement. Although a Land-Grant University was associated with each project, their roles were at times poorly defined and poorly integrated into the programs. Little or no research was carried out to provide solutions to production problems. USAID assistance would have greater impact if qualified personnel from Land Grant Universities with country experience were involved from the project planning stage, as well as during implementation.  Applied research should be initiated prior to the start of a project, such that research findings can be incorporated in implementation plans.