HILLSIDE AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM

Annual Workplan

HAP CY-2002 Annual Workplan

PERIOD: JANUARY - DECEMBER 2002 SERIES #: WP-02

Funded by: USAID

Prime Contractor: Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI)

Sub-Contractors: Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) Fintrac, Inc. International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) University of Florida GRAFIN S.A.

This work was performed under USAID/Haiti Contract No. 521-C-00-00-00035-00. The views expressed herein are those of the contractor or their consultants and not necessarily those of the U. S. Agency for International Development.

HAP 2002 WORKPLAN OUTLINE

I. Introduction...... 1 II. Program Activities Description ...... 2 COMPONENT A: MARKET-ORIENTED PRODUCTION...... 2 1. COFFEE...... 2 2. MANGO ...... 4 3. CACAO...... 5 4. YAM ...... 6 5. TROPICAL PUMPKIN...... 7 6. SECONDARY CROPS ...... 8 COFFEE Program 2002 Activities Schedule...... 9 MANGO Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule...... 10 CACAO Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule...... 11 YAM Program 2002 Activities Schedule ...... 12 TROPICAL PUMPKIN Program 2002 Activities Schedule ...... 13 COMPONENT B: NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT...... 14 NRM Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule...... 16 COMPONENT C: EXPORT MARKETING ...... 17 Major Export Marketing Activities ...... 17 Export Marketing Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule...... 20 COMPONENT D: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING...... 21 Community-Based Organizations Activities ...... 21 Strengthening Enabling Environment Institutions Activities ...... 23 Institutional Capacity Building CY 2002 Activities Schedule ...... 26 COMPONENT E: RESEARCH ...... 27 Research Activities...... 27 Research CY 2002 Activities Schedule...... 32 COMPONENT F: MONITORING AND EVALUATION...... 33 Monitoring and Evaluation Activities ...... 33 Monitoring & Evaluation CY 2002 Activities Schedule ...... 34 COMPONENT G: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATION ...... 35 Program Management / Administration Activities:...... 35 CY 2002 Deliverables ...... 37 CY 2001 Deliverables Outstanding...... 38

HAP CY 2002 Workplan i

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 2

I. Introduction

This HAP CY2002 Work Plan provides the framework and details for the implementation of USAID-financed activities in the hillside agriculture sector. The Plan emphasizes a flexible market-based approach aimed at achieving the highest possible financial returns to hillside farm households consistent with sound environmental practices.

The Hillside Agriculture Program is a key element of the USAID/Haiti’s overall goal of “Reduction of Poverty in a Democratic Society”. It supports the Mission’s emphasis on decentralization and greater geographic focus. The program contributes to two USAID Strategic Objectives: SO1—Sustainable Increased Income for the Poor; and SO2— Environmental Degradation Slowed. More specifically, HAP contributes to the following intermediate results under SO1 and SO2.

• IR1.1 Increased Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Productivity • IR2.1 Increased Adoption of Sustainable Natural Resource Management Practices

The HAP project and this workplan are organized into seven components as follows:

• Component A: Market-Oriented Production • Component B: Natural Resource Management • Component C: Export Marketing • Component D: Institutional Capacity Building • Component E: Research • Component F: Monitoring & Evaluation • Component G: Program Management

The following sections of the workplan are presented by component.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 1

II. Program Activities Description

Component A: Market-Oriented Production

HAP uses a market-led approach to choosing production activities, which implies that the choice of which crops and activities to support from a technology standpoint are keyed to existing and future market opportunities. Staff efforts will be focused on highest value “best bet” marketable crops that will significantly raise farmer incomes, as well as looking for increases in food crop productivity which strengthen farm family food security and free up land and labor resources for higher value production.

The crops we have chosen to focus on during CY2002 are coffee, mango, cacao, yam, and pumpkin. Mango, coffee and cacao are perennial tree crops with strong export market potential as well as being environmentally friendly in their own right. Yam and pumpkin have been selected because they are export crops with significant potential for expansion into large and deep markets. Increased income associated with these crops may encourage farmers’ adoption and use of appropriate soil and water conservation and soil fertility building techniques.

In the following sections, each targeted crop is discussed individually, providing detail on the activities planned for the coming year.

1. COFFEE

Coffee is at a critical point in Haiti. World market prices for the low-grade natural coffee (café naturel or café pilé) that Haiti has traditionally exported are at all-time historical lows. New producers using intensive industrial methods in Brazil and Vietnam have created new competition and largely undercut Haitian coffee exporters’ usual espresso blend markets in Europe. As a result, some private exporters are dropping out of the market, farmgate prices are very low and farmers in many areas are discouraged by low prices. In some cases, they are pulling up trees and replanting with other crops, or at the very least, continuing their long standing practice of neglecting to tend their coffee stands.

To counteract this disturbing trend, HAP is working with exporters and small hillside growers to develop new non-commodity higher quality coffee exports that will command higher prices and offer an attractive return to both exporters and farmers. These efforts at promoting higher priced coffee revolve around two target markets: (1) the high-quality gourmet “specialty coffee” market and (2) the “fair trade” market for approved cooperatively marketed coffee. Coffee marketed into both of these markets is, for the most part, washed coffee (café lavé) that requires immediate processing after it is picked and is generally recognized as being of higher quality. Much of HAP’s coffee sector work is based on helping the largest coffee growers’ federation, FACN, to market and assure quality control for its trademark brand coffee—Haitian Bleu.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 2

Components

Work with FACN to strengthen its ability to produce and market high quality premium washed coffee.

FACN is continuing to experience problems in ensuring adequate quality of its Haitian Bleu exports. HAP will work collaboratively with FACN’s Federation managers, continuing work begun in 2001, to help FACN improve its quality performance. Elements of HAP’s quality-focused program to achieve this will include: STTA and training for FACN staff on washed coffee processing and cupping, STTA to set-up and test a quality control monitoring and reporting system that will govern relations between the central FACN processing facility and its member Associations, training activities at the Association level to be conduced by experienced local technicians with support from a concurrent HAP Training Grant (TG-002), and infrastructure investment at the Association level supported under HAP PBA agreements with individual Associations. In addition to these quality focused activities, HAP will also provide STTA to FACN on international marketing—although these activities will be sequenced to ensure that FACN assume a greater level of responsibility for implementing and deciding its own marketing strategy—with more responsibilities being gradually passed to FACN’s Business Manager and less operational and strategic decisions being made by expatriate advisors under STTA contracts. HAP assistance to FACN may also include support for developing new accounting models for structuring relations between member Associations and the Federation to promote greater transparency and better coordination within the Federation as a whole. This program of assistance will be dependent on FACN acceptance of accounting formats being developed by SOFIHDES under a separate HAP Training Grant (TG-001).

Support for coffee production

While farmers are pulling-up coffee trees in many areas, farmers in zones that have the potential to produce high-quality coffee (such as the Beaumont and Thiotte regions, and some zones near Jacmel) are interested in increasing production. HAP STTA in 2001 demonstrated useful pruning and shade management techniques that can be used to improve coffee yields. HAP staff will continue to work with a selected number of FACN Associations in the Beaumont, Thiotte, Cap Haitian and Jacmel regions to establish actively-managed coffee demonstration plots using appropriate pruning, spacing and shade adjustment techniques to disseminate knowledge of these improved methods. HAP will also follow the initiatives of other sector players (notably IICA) to facilitate an appropriate response to the coffee borer (scolyte) infestation.

Support for Industry-Level Activities focusing on Quality Improvements

In 2002 HAP will continue its cupping training activities began in October 2001. This will include organizing informal “cupping sessions” for roasters and exporters who wish to practice the cupping techniques learned in the 2001 seminar as well as follow-up reinforcement trainings from international cupping professionals. The goal of these sessions will be twofold: (1) provide positive reinforcement and needed training to the

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relatively few individuals in Haiti who are in a professional situation that permits them to actually apply the training received, (2) contribute the formation of an incipient coherent group of coffee sector professionals who understand coffee quality issues and could eventually coalesce into an industry association that would promote the development of a premium quality coffee market—following the model developed by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). Progress to this second goal will be difficult, and is far from being a sure thing. During 2002 HAP will gently pursue this objective with the aim of preparing the ground and creating the right dynamic in which an eventual industry association could be created.

2. MANGO

As with other perennial tree crops, mango is an environmentally appropriate hillside crop, since its exploitation does not require tillage and requires no particular strategy for soil conservation. It can also be grown in association with other crops in an environmentally friendly manner. Mango exports have recently become the largest source of agricultural export revenue in Haiti. Small farmers produce virtually all of mangos exported from Haiti. Mangos thus have an important role to play both in increasing farmer income and in combating soil erosion.

Components

Promote better integration of marketing systems serving small farmers

HAP’s strategy for achieving this integration has two axes: (1) building stronger links between small farmers and exporters; and (2) helping all actors in the production- marketing chain to recognize and improve quality standards. HAP will work with exporters and CBOs in the mango producing regions to promote closer commercial linkages. Concretely this will involve the continued use of commercial sales contracts between CBOs and exporters and the promotion of exporter involvement in CBO-level plantations and/or packhouses (each of these is described below) . HAP will continue working to train farmers to manage CBO marketing campaigns, promote CBO-exporter sales contracts, and facilitate commercial relationships between the two parties. As with quality standards, HAP will provide training and pedagogical materials on appropriate standards to farmers—particularly in regards to mango maturity which is the major quality problem facing the whole mango industry.

Develop new sustainable techniques for reducing losses

High levels of loss plague the mango industry. HAP will work with both exporters and small farmers to combat this through: training small farmers on appropriate harvest and post-harvest handling, promoting new pruning techniques to increase yields and reduce harvesting damage, introduce systems to test the utilization of plastic packing crates, promote new packaging centers in the fields with cooperation from farmers and exporters.

Promote the development of a more effective and active mango industry association

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HAP began working with the mango exporter’s association (ANEM) in 2001—focusing mainly on the development of a website. In 2002, HAP will explore other potential areas of collaboration. These will include setting-up a system for issuing regular international and/or local price bulletins; investigating possibilities for joint programs of investment in mango plantations; brand development; and quality control inspections. HAP will hold meetings with ANEM leaders and members in the first quarter of 2002 to define a realistic agenda of action for the association.

Upgrade production practices

HAP will work to increase the overall supply of exportable mangos in two ways. First it will work with CBOs and small farmers to improve the production of existing mango stands. This will be done through trainings in tree management including pruning and grafting. It will also include trainings on selecting appropriate seeds and the use of asexual reproduction techniques by CBO mango nurseries. Secondly, HAP will work to promote the development of new mango plantations among small farmers. A major constraint to effective mango production is the geographical dispersion and low density of mango plantations. HAP has shown, during its first year, that exporters and farmers are willing to invest in and develop real plantations. New plantations of mango trees have been coordinated by HAP with exporters and CBOs in Gros Morne and Marigot. This is an important innovation—both in terms of improving production and in fostering closer links between exporters and small farmers. HAP will continue to work with exporters and small farmers to develop new plantations, with cost-sharing subsidies in which a fraction of the cost of establishing new strands of trees is covered by HAP funds. .

3. CACAO

Well-managed cacao provides ideal protection to the soil against erosion. An estimated 10,000 Haitians produce cacao—mainly for export. Work completed in HAP’s first year has proved that by training both farmers and exporters to recognize and price according to different quality standards, and by helping the farmers to dry their cacao to optimal levels, HAP can significantly increase the per unit value of Haitian cacao exports. HAP will, in the coming year continue to link farmers with exporters and improve post-harvest handling and treatment while also placing new emphasis on production. HAP’s cacao activities in the Grande Anse will be implemented directly by HAP staff, with some possible institutional reinforcement assistance for cacao CBOs being provided by HAP subcontractor GRAFIN. At the beginning of 2002, no other subcontracts are envisaged.

Components

Maintain and improve post-harvest handling systems and marketing operations serving small farmers

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HAP will work with cacao CBOs to prepare marketing campaigns and facilitate relations with exporters, offer training on CBO management, and provide training and limited infrastructure support for post-harvest handling and storage.

Increase quantity and productivity of cacao plantings

HAP will set up a system of demonstration plots and extension agents to diffuse knowledge of yield-enhancing techniques such as shade management, pruning, controlling planting densities and grafting. In limited numbers of cases if justified by farmer demand, HAP will also provide support for cacao nurseries to promote new plantings with new sources of germplasm, although the major emphasis of this program will be on improving the productivity of existing trees.

4. YAM

Although yams are not a traditional export crop, they are an important food crop among hillside farmers—particularly those in higher elevations. They are also potentially exportable, as HAP trial shipments in 2001 have demonstrated. Yam cultivation also poses a potential threat to hillside soil retention if they are not grown properly within protected soil conservation structures. HAP will, in the upcoming year, seek to increase the profitability and aggregate amount of yams grown by small hillside farmers, while also ensuring that this is done in a manner that does not contribute to natural resource degradation.

Components

Increase the quantity and productivity of hillside yam production

Since yam seed is a major constraint to increased production in the short-term, HAP will continue to provide quantities of yam seed to farmers who enter into production/marketing agreements. Additionally, as the yam export program expands, HAP will provide production advice to farmers entering the program, assuring that production increases to meet market demand. A significant effort will be made to develop, with farmers, production techniques that increase yam productivity while conserving the natural resource base. Such techniques include the use of composted materials in yam “hills” or “mounds” to increase fertility and facilitate growth of yam with the straight, un-branched shape desired by the US market.

Increase the efficiencies of yam seed production systems

Traditionally, farmers reserve a portion of their crop for seed. However, the rate of growth in the quantity of seed available from the traditional system is not adequate to meet demand under the export regime being established by HAP. Additionally, the yam produced in the traditional manner is often infected with disease or pests and serves to spread the infection. Accordingly, HAP will work to effect improvements in the

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 6

traditional system of yams seed production by working with CBOs to increase their technical ability to produce quality seeds. HAP will also contract with a commercial seed supplier to guarantee a supply of high quality seed in 2002 – 2003 to support the various facets of the HAP yam program.

Promote changes in traditional crop-cycle calendars to take advantage of market windows for yellow yam

Yam harvested outside the major harvest season is sold on the domestic market at nearly double the main-season prices. A few farmers have mastered the techniques required for out-of-season production. HAP will assist farmers expand the production of out-of- season yam (igname tous les temps) by providing seed and technical advice to farmers willing to try producing yam for the out-of-season market. Additionally, HAP will make an effort to educate farmers to the existence of the major export market windows and work with them to shift more of the national yam harvest into these periods of relatively high prices.

Create a sustainable system for marketing hillside farmer yams

The development of a sustainable marketing system requires training for both farmers and exporters in product quality maintenance and control from planting and harvesting through packaging and export. To assure the sustainability of the system, farm groups must be trained, through on-the-job experiences, to manage the relatively complex process of coordinating production, harvest, post-harvest handling and sale in a manner that remunerates all essential participants adequately. HAP will attempt to achieve this by providing some of the necessary material resources and much of the necessary technical assistance to accompany and guide the farm groups as they manage their marketing enterprises and learn through the experience.

5. TROPICAL PUMPKIN

Tropical pumpkin is an attractive export crop for small farmers. As with yams, HAP trial shipments during 2001 have shown that Haitian pumpkins are well received by importers in the US. Tropical pumpkin is also easy to handle and has a long shelf life. It is, thus, relatively well able to withstand the rough treatment and delays that inevitably arises during the export process. These characteristics make pumpkin an almost ideal for export by Haitian CBOs. Finally, it is widely grown and small farmers already master the key aspects of its cultivation.

Components

Increase production

HAP’s primary strategy will be to focus the existing (underutilized) production capacity of Haiti’s small-scale farmers on producing for the market windows of June-July and Nov-Jan. This will be promoted through a fiche technique that discusses the market

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 7

windows, pumpkin quality criteria, and urges farm groups to develop marketing agreements with specific exporters of their choice. Additionally, the fiche technique will illustrate production techniques (such as pruning) that can be used to assure the pumpkins meet size criteria. HAP will provide a small amount of seed to selected farm groups and individuals who engage to produce the largest proportion of targeted export quantities.

Facilitate small farmer marketing linkages to exporters and domestic wholesalers

HAP will endeavor to assist farm groups develop pre-planting production/marketing agreements with specific exporters and then track production progress, accompanying farmers from planting to harvest and sale. This system will assure that farmers produce for the market windows and assured, pre-arranged buyers.

6. SECONDARY CROPS

In addition to these primary crops, for which activities are already planned, HAP will explore during 2002 possible production and marketing activities for other crops on an opportunistic basis, as possibilities present themselves. For hot peppers, for instance, we will explore the feasibility of extending the model of contract farming that was developed in 2001 and should begin to yield product in early 2002. Should this particular initiative prove to be profitable for the exporter and the CBO, we will look to enter into similar relationships with other CBOs and exporters. Since the underlying viability of the model is still in doubt however, as of early January 2002, this program of expansion is contingent upon adequate prospects for profitability.

Other crops for which HAP may develop promotion plans in 2002, depending on being able to assemble the right combination of farmers, land and buyers, include: malanga; plantains; and pois congo.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 8

COFFEE Program 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Crop Strategy Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 10 demonstration plots Establish and manage demonstration plots in major producing established and functioning Upgrade Production Practices areas—in collaboration with FACN member Associations Fiche technique on Beaumont- Fukunaga pruning system (*) Quality control monitoring Support the establishment of a quality control monitoring system system tested and implemented at FACN Federation & Association levels by FACN

15 FACN Associations trained in Provide training in wet processing with FACN Associations wet processing methods

2 fiche techniques on key Strengthen FACN’s & other handling and/or processing Promote understanding of appropriate coffee post-harvest groups’ ability to produce and steps market high-quality washed handling and processing Technical Manual Produced on coffee Wet Processing (*)

Provide material support (if required) and advice on issues 5 wet processing centers related to processing at wet and dry stages rehabilitated

Providing material support (if required) and advice for Simplification of FACN sales implementation of FACN marketing strategy procedures for US market

Produce and disseminate coffee quality standards information for 1 Quality Standards Poster exporters produced Support Industry-Level Coordination Staff from 3 institutions able to Training interested industry participants in coffee cupping cup coffee

(*) CY 2001 deliverable outstanding as of 12/31/01; Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

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MANGO Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Crop Strategy Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2,000 trees top grafted Increase productivity of existing Mango stands through trainings on (1) grafting and pruning and (2) the use of asexual 2 CBO nurseries using asexual reproduction techniques reproduction techniques

Fiche technique on seedling Upgrade Production Practices Promote understanding of mango seedling production techniques production Promote understanding cultural practices for mango trees from Fiche technique on young tree seedling to age 5 years care Promote establishment of new concentrated plantations of small- 3 plantations established farmer owned mangos Disseminate knowledge of quality standards & handling 12 Training Seminars techniques to farmers through specific trainings

Promote the use of new post-harvest loss reduction technology— 2 CBOs using packing crates primarily packing crates during the mango season

Implement New Loss- Reduction Techniques Promote better understanding of handling techniques to maintain 1 fiche technique: harvest mango fruit quality methods & transport to pack shed

Encourage the development of appropriate packing infrastructure 2 CBO packing centers built

Facilitate direct farmer-CBO marketing agreements 5 CBO-Buyer contracts Promote Stronger Marketing

Systems Serving Small Farmers Train farmers and CBO mangers in managing mango Intensive training program for commercialization operations mango federation in Gros Morne

Draw-up an industry-level/association development plan ANEM action plan defined Promote Improvements at the Industry Level Implementation of focus activities with mango association ANEM website established

Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 10

CACAO Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Crop Strategy Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 50 farmers equipped with farm- level dryers

fiche technique on post-harvest handling Improve farmer-level post-harvest handling by promoting new drying methods Maintain and Improve Fiche technique on farm-level dryer Post-Harvest Handling and Marketing Practices Cacao quality standards guide (*)

Improve CBO level post-harvest handling through 5 CBO marketing centers built or rehabilitated/new marketing infrastructure rehabilitated 4 CBO-exporter sales Facilitate more direct small farmer-exporter market linkages agreements facilitated Establish demonstration plots and training programs in target 10 demonstration gardens areas for improved cacao production practices established 10,000 trees successfully side- grafted Increase Quantity and Promote new side-grafting techniques Productivity of Cacao Fiche Technique on side- Plantings grafting(*)

5,000 seedlings of new varieties Introduce new higher-yielding varieties of cacao planted

(*) CY 2001 deliverable outstanding as of 12/31/01; Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

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YAM Program 2002 Activities Schedule

Crop Strategy 2002 Activities Outputs Component 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Encourage more and/or more intensive plantings of white and 120,000 Mounds planted by13 CBOs yellow yams Upgrade Production Training for farmers on yam cultivation 26 training sessions Practices Fiche technique harvest & transport Promote quality maintenance at harvest to collection center Procure appropriate yellow and white yam germplasm for seed 200,000 seed yams procured and production delivered to target CBOs Increase the Efficiency of Yam Training for CBOs in seed yam production 14 training sessions Seed Production Methods Implementation of CBO seed production trials 7 CBOs producing seed yams

Procure seed and plant yams at appropriate time for desired Modify Yellow Yam 5 CBOs plant for off-season harvest Crop Calendar to harvest

Profit From Market Windows Provide intensive monitoring of production 2 Regional production status reports

Facilitate market sales between small farmers and Exporters 7 CBO-Exporter sales agreements

Develop and implement a training module to help farmers prepare 26 training sessions for yam marketing campaign Create a system for marketing export rejects from small farmers in System developed the domestic wholesale market Create a Sustainable Marketing System Fiche technique yam handling & processing at collection center

Encourage better post harvest treatment and handling Fiche technique transport from collection center to exporter

Fiche technique for handling at exporter factory

Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 12

TROPICAL PUMPKIN Program 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Crop Strategy Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Procure seeds and oversee new plantings 10 lbs of seed planted

Fiche technique on production

practices Increase Production Train farmers on production practices 9 Training Sessions

5 CBOs producing for fixed Monitor production and harvests harvest calendar

4 CBO/Exporter Sales Facilitate market sales between small farmers and Exporters Agreements

Develop domestic wholesale marketing channels for non- 6 CBOs making sales directly to

exportable production domestic wholesalers Facilitate Small Farmer Linkages to Buyers Quality Standards guide/ poster

on market quality criteria Promote wider diffusion of information on international buyers, market windows and quality criteria to exporters and farmers 9 training sessions

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Component B: Natural Resource Management

Environmental degradation in Haitian smallholder agriculture will be mitigated by assisting farmers to increase their income through improved production and marketing using environmentally friendly crops and sound agricultural production practices. As a result, the natural resource management (NRM) component of the HAP program will be more closely integrated with market-oriented production activities.

The objective of the NRM component is to increase and sustain crop production and revenue linked to the adoption of improved NRM technologies. NRM activities concerning specific NRM technologies, choice of high-value crops and improved cropping practices associated with them will be adapted to principle agro-ecological zones found within program areas. Zones of concentration within participating CBOs are being identified. These will serve as a focus for market-oriented production within the CBO membership area. The zones of concentration for market production activities will also serve as the locus for the installation of soil and water conservation structures. Important measures for evaluating appropriate soil conservation technology include, but are not limited to: (1) farmer ability to install the technology; (2) farmer willingness to install a soil conservation technology; (3) cost of installation with respect to available farm resources; (4) benefits derived from installation of the technology; (5) replication among secondary users; (6) and overall efficiency of the soil conservation infrastructure in arresting loss of soil, water and nutrients.

In addition to a continuation of the activities in the previous workplan, the 2002 HAP NRM plan includes the new activity of maximizing the impact of soil and water conservation structures by increasing the value of the crops cultivated in the corridors (or alleys). This new NRM activity for 2002 is an important aspect of HAP’s integration of the NRM and marketing components to generate synergistic effects for hillside farmers in protecting the natural resource base. The expansion of soil and water conservation structures in 2002 will focus on production activities within live barrier structures as well as within the corridors. At the same time soil and water conservation structures will be focused on zones of concentrated production

Major NRM Activities Concentration of soil and water conservation structures on areas under cultivation of HAP focus crops

HAP will increase the concentration of the following soil conservation interventions on areas under cultivation of HAP assisted focus crops:

1. soil and water conservation structures; 2. higher-value cropping patterns within the structures; improvement of soil fertility and water-holding capacity; 3. tree planting; and fruit tree grafting;. 4. planting of bann manje

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Introduction of higher-value cropping patterns within structures

HAP will be using farmer participation in the implementation of an Action-Research agenda to identify high-value crops in rotation with improved varieties of staple food crops in order to quickly and efficiently introduce new higher value cropping patterns which will motivate farmers to adopt soil and water conservation technologies Some of the crops that may be tested within the corridors (or alleys) of the structures include off-season yam, malanga, potato, sweet potato, groundnut, ginger root, okra and other vegetable crops such as cabbage, onion, carrot and table beets. Improved traditional hillside food crops such as pigeon pea, bush beans, sorghum and maize will also enter into the crop rotation, as well. These new crops will, for the most part, require revisions in traditional hillside cultural practices that do not provide sufficient plant nutrition and soil-water conditions. HAP will test cropping practices such as the use of raised beds and mounds as appropriate to the crop and soil conditions in each agro-ecological zone. Every effort will be employed to assure that the introduction of higher-value crops within these structures will be accompanied by appropriate cropping practices.

Promote new soil fertility technologies

Soil fertility enhancing activities include the following:

1. The use of green manure leguminous crops, such as velvet bean (Mucuna spp.) and jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis); 2. Research and extension of the use of cover crops (indigenous and introduced leguminous species); and 3. The amelioration and augmentation of composting techniques using locally available plant (and animal) residues in conjunction with the use of biological organisms for more rapid and thorough decomposition.

Tree planting and fruit tree grafting

HAP will shift the focus of its tree planting activities from fast growing hardwoods to grafted fruit trees and will continue to exploit budding and grafting infrastructure in hillside communities, including community nurseries and farmers with training in budding and grafting techniques.

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NRM Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Major Activity Sub Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Identify and delimit concentration zones for market-based Increase production within CBOs. Plan market production activities Integration and NRM infrastructure. NRM/Production Training of soil Train farmers in market production practices and Seminars given in 23 CBOs conservation techniques in hillside agriculture adapted to use within with zones of s&w conservation technologies. 200 hectares concentrated production Build structures and plant market crops production protect Valorization of Design protocols and identify crop introductions production in Plan interventions and identify plant material needs 14 CBOs growing new higher- alleys within soil value crops within alleys conservation Establishment of high-value crops structures 2 Cover crop on-farm trials Plan and install green manure and cover crop trials Soil fertility implemented over many sites technologies Provide STTA for identification of bio-decomposing organisms, identify & plan for more efficient use of local CBO Training Seminars materials for compost-making

400 improved compost piles Establish compost piles. established 200,000 fruit trees planted/and Tree planting and Fruit tree grafting and budding fruit grafting or grafted Plan and install on-farm trial to evaluate tree species for Trial evaluation report live stakes Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

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COMPONENT C: EXPORT MARKETING

HAP’s export marketing activities are designed to support the basic commodity flow processes described above in Component A (Market-Oriented Production) with targeted activities addressing constraints at the exporter level. This part of HAP’s program is largely implemented by its export marketing subcontractor FINTRAC.

The design of this part of HAP’s program has changed substantively from 2001. Trial shipments of yams, malanga, tropical pumpkin and kenep indicate that there is no basic shortage of buyers for these products in North American markets and that export sales connections are only a relatively minor constraint to increasing small farmer export volumes and values. Similarly, for major market crops (cacao, coffee and mango) well- developed export marketing channels and customers exist already (although, for coffee, the logistical arrangements for structuring FACN’s export sales still needs to be improved). For all of these crops the binding constraint is not lack of knowledge among exporters of foreign market opportunities—it is the lack of a controlled farm-to- packhouse-to-point-of-export chain through which sufficient volumes of produce can flow in a manner that guarantees export quality. HAP successes with cacao in 2001 showed that sufficient gains can be made if the major technical pressure points (in this case tree management and post-harvest drying) that affect quality are mastered and if exporters and farmers can find appropriate modus operandi for working together so that appropriate incentives to maintain quality are distributed to the actors responsible for producing it.

Towards this end, HAP management recently took the decision to refocus the responsibilities of the long-term export marketing advisor to also lead and handle post- harvest activities in a more proactive way than had previously been the case. This necessitated a change in personnel, from an advisor with buyer connections and market knowledge to one with better technical capabilities in post-harvest handling, quality assurance, and marketing logistics. The transition between the new and current export marketing advisor will take place in March 2002. The activities presented below reflect this more general reorientation of exporter-focused activities from making market contacts to obtaining technical mastery of post-harvest logistics and product quality issues.

Major Export Marketing Activities

Improving exporter post-harvest handling

In order to increase the export value of mangoes, yams, and pumpkins (and potentially hot pepper, and malanga), it is envisaged that technical support to exporters to strengthen their product handling and treatment practices will be warranted. Further, as more overseas importers – particularly supermarkets – are beginning to require that fresh produce exporters implement food safety programs, those unable to comply will find markets significantly declining. Areas for HAP interventions therefore are expected to include staff training in quality control and selection; cold chain management; packing

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and packaging; and hygiene, food safety, and environmental issues/systems. This year, individual exporter workplans will be developed with each exporter client so that the impact of technical support can be monitored in terms of hillside sourcing and increased export sales. Support to be included in these exporter workplans will include technical assistance and on-site training, as well as limit procurement support where exporters have projects that can qualify for HAP New Market Development Grants. This activity will occupy most of the time input by the new export marketing advisor.

Helping the Expansion of Value-Added Processing Activities

Several assessments were undertaken in 2001 that underscore Haiti’s potential in mango processing, and technical assistance will be provided with buyer identification, food safety, plant re-design, process improvement, and equipment procurement in 2002 because this represents a significant local market for farmers. The new HAP export marketing advisor will work, in particular, with the agribusiness firm, La Famosa, to develop a program of activities needed to strengthen its existing pilot mango purée project. Other potential projects, such as supporting a possible investment in frozen mango products will also be pursued. HAP is currently discussing such a project with the mango exporter JMB. Since both of these projects are at the pre-feasibility stage, their eventual success cannot be guaranteed. .HAP will, therefore, also maintain an active research for other potentially interesting processed product projects.1

Information Services

HAP produced a series of information products in 2001, inclusive of quality posters, export product bulletins, and price reports. Many of these were both distributed in hard- copy and posted to the project’s website. The challenge for 2002 is to widen distribution; to transfer the analysis and methods of transmission to other organizations where feasible (i.e. the mango association, ANEM); to expand on post-harvest materials; and to garner feedback so that market information products can be expanded and improved during the next twelve months – particularly for target products and markets. HAP will also continue to provide the “Quick Response Service (QRS)” to field staff and clients requiring immediate market and technical information, but will focus attention on promoting and better systematizing it. (QRS provides on-call access to market analysts in North America and Europe to help with commercial trouble-shooting – i.e. product admissibility, prices, market windows.) The project website will also continue to be maintained and expanded.

Market Testing and Promotion

This includes the coordination of further inward buyer missions, export market observation tours, and support to overseas trade shows on a very limited basis where this is warranted, as well as coordination of trial shipments -- all of which were successful in

1 It should be noted that in its approach to value-added processing, HAP will only support projects that have the potential to become commercially viable on a large scale. Artisanal processing projects are not a major focus of HAP.

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2001, and will be continued in 2002. The ANEM website is also a promotional tool that will be expanded in 2002, and HAP will examine the rationale for establishing other commercial sites once export volumes in other areas are up. A primary sub-activity in this component will be the initiation of contacts and strategic alliances with new buyers in the US and Europe for fresh mangoes in 2002.

Port-of-Arrival Inspections

This is a program that will be systematized from mid-March, with particular emphasis on non-traditional exports such as yam and tropical pumpkin. The port-of-arrival inspections will allow the project to monitor the impact of its interventions and better pinpoint the need for them. Essentially, inspectors in ports-of-arrival check incoming produce for quality and arrival condition, and report back to the field with photographs, temperature recordings, and technical feedback so that adjustments can be made as necessary in the farm-to-market chain to decrease loss and improve quality and shelf-life.

Exporter Seminars

Exporter training seminars will be arranged on an as-needed basis in 2002, in response to specific technical issues that are diagnosed as providing problems to more than one exporter. Experience from 2001 showed that, to maximize the effectiveness of these activities, they must be well targeted and highly technical to provide exporter staff with relevant information needed to address specific constraints. Likely topics to be addressed in 2002 include: post-harvest treatment, packaging and shipping procedures for yams and malanga; as well as pesticide application and control measures for reaching the US fresh produce market.

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Export Marketing Program CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Exporter workplans developed to identify key process 4 exporter workplans being improvements implemented Post-Harvest Handling Improved HAP New Market Development grants implemented to 2 New Market Development encourage new trail shipments of produce and better post- Grants made raw product harvest handling exports

Technical assistance plan developed to help mango puree Technical Assistance Missions processing plan for mango puree Support Value-Added Processing Activities 2 HAP New Market HAP New Market Development grants made to encourage Development Grant made for new processed product exports processed product

Updating of HAP Market Bulletins 12 Market bulletin updates

Price reports developed and implemented with 12 Price reports produced Information Services cooperating institutions

Quick Response Information System operating or QRS operating exporters

At least 2 inward buying Inward buying missions for new buyers missions

Market Testing and Promotion Market Observation Tours/Exporter Study Visits/Trade At least 3 exporter out-of Shows country events

Point-of Arrival Inspections Monitor fresh produce quality upon arrival in port 12 inspections

Training needs identified and implementation plans Exporter Training Events At least 3 training events held developed with exporters

Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

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COMPONENT D: INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING

Planned HAP Institutional Capacity Building Activities in 2002 are detailed below. This Chapter is divided into two major parts—activities oriented towards strengthening farmer CBOs and activities oriented towards promoting a more favorable institutional environment for small farmer agriculture. Each of these is addressed in turn.

Community-Based Organizations Activities

HAP learned a lot about how CBOs worked in 2001. In many ways CBOs form the weakest link in the HAP farm to market strategy. With a number of important exceptions, most CBOs with whom HAP works were formed for reasons other than the marketing of produce. With the notable exception of cacao and coffee CBOs, many (and even most) CBOs are organized more to distribute donor and NGO assistance than to actually operate as money-generating vehicles for their members. They have trouble setting appropriate buying policies, reaching desired volumes, managing intermediation costs efficiently and coordinating collection. Oftentimes lack of communication or mistrust between members and officers results in systemic breakdowns. Financial record keeping and even historical data on operations is spotty.

During 2002, HAP CBO-level institutional capacity building activities will change somewhat from the prior year. We will: (1) place less emphasis on training in organizational principles of cooperative management than in the past; (2) establish a more-focused approach with an element of triage—working more with larger and stronger CBOs and not “going as deep” with smaller and weaker CBOs. We will also encourage CBOs to reorganize and restructure to become stronger; (3) place added emphasis on the simple mechanics of record keeping and managing commercial operations; and (4) focus on giving CBOs the analytical tools to ensure good financial management. The major elements of this strategy are described below.

HAP will also contact other USAID projects active in the core HAP regions around Jacmel and Cap Haitian to ascertain if any of their democracy and governance activities might be usefully extended to HAP CBOs.

Training in the Management of Agricultural Marketing Campaigns

To address CBO weaknesses in the management of fresh produce marketing campaigns. HAP will reorganize its institutional strengthening activities to accord greater importance to trainings focused narrowly on managing marketing operations for fresh produce. This will include the following two steps:

Design and implementation of a basic marketing campaign training module During the first quarter of 2002, HAP staff will work to finalize a new integrated training module building on 2001 experiences focusing on: setting purchasing policies and administering purchases; financial and operational management of collection, storage and assembly functions; selling and negotiating strategies; and record keeping. This model

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 21

will be developed initially for yam marketing and adapted to other crops. HAP anticipates beginning to use the model by the end of the second quarter of 2002. This will be used mainly for groups engaged in the commercialization of yams, malanga, pumpkins and, in as much as possible, mangos. A reduced version of this model will be used for the early mango season with Jacmel, Leogane and Mirebalais area CBOs. HAP anticipates being able to offer the full version in the area of Gros Morne, which has the latest harvest schedule.

Reinforcement of CBO’s capacity to keep adequate records of marketing activities With CBOs for whom HAP staff will not be able to offer full-scale trainings using the marketing module referred to above, they will provide material support (notebooks and forms) and with shorter training on bookkeeping and participatory management to ensure that CBOs are at least able to track and record accurately all the purchasing and sales transactions that they engage in as well as establishing effective governance procedures.

Training in Accounting Models for CBOs

Under HAP’s ongoing Training Grant (TG-01) activities with SOFIHDES advanced accounting training was supposed to have begun in 2001 with HAP CBOs. This did not happen due to unanticipated difficulties in finalizing the initial two CBO financial statements that are being used to develop the training module. This process was completed in December 2001. The initial training module manual will be finalized in February. Initial trainings with the two targeted “guinea pig” CBOs (APKF in Fonds Jean Noel and CJBC in Grande Rivière du Nord) will begin in February and continue trough the spring and early summer. Beginning in the Third Quarter, after a review of experience to date and a possible revision of the training materials based on the initial experience with the two guinea pigs, HAP will start the first wave of CBO trainings in the North and South-East which will continue for the remainder of the year.

CBO Institutional Analysis and Organizational Reinforcement of CBOs

Although HAP’s overall strategy is to focus more on giving CBOs the analytical tools they need to track their finances and conduct raw product marketing campaigns, rather than offering generic “institutional strengthening” assistance (which almost invariably produces unimpressive results), we will provide specifically-tailored organizational training to a limited number of CBOs within a directed evolutionary framework. This activity is related to USAID’s efforts to strengthen the democratic nature of civil society institutions in rural areas of Haiti. HAP’s approach to this will include at least three steps:

Conducting an institutional analysis of CBO strengths and weaknesses With the aid of a short-term anthropologist, HAP will conduct a comparative study of several HAP CBOs to determine in-depth how members regard the CBO, how director- member relations are conducted, what are the strengths of the organizations and their

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 22

weaknesses, and what HAP can do to increase their effectiveness as economic agents supporting small farmer production and marketing activities.

Encouraging CBO restructuring HAP will work with CBOs to encourage two types of CBO restructuring:

the merging of smaller groups that are unable to amass significant volumes of marketed product individually, but could coordinate to become a stronger market force within a given region; and

the reformulation of governance relations in certain weaker CBOs to increase transparency as a key to getting more active and effective participation by CBO members. This will likely involve revitalizing sub-groups (groupements de base) to become more effective constituents of CBOs.

In the first case, a major effort to restructure and regroup CBOs will be made for mango marketing CBOs in the Jacmel and Léogane areas. In the second case, an in-depth strategy for CBO restructuring will be dives after the institutional assessment referred to above has been conducted.

Strengthening Enabling Environment Institutions Activities

Disseminating Price Information

During the last quarter of 2001, HAP began collecting price data in seven rural and urban markets in the northern region. In early 2002, several rural markets in the South East will be added to this system. Prices collected in these markets are limited to products that are the focus of HAP Performance-Based Agreements and are normally traded in the regions concerned. These include pumpkin, malanga, white yams and yellow yams. The price taking methodology for this effort has not been perfected and HAP is still in the process of developing workable guidelines for standardizing this procedure so that market level, product quality and unit of measure issues do not impair the data collection process.

During 2001, HAP will work to develop this system, with appropriate input from local actors such as CBOs, church groups and/or local NGOs, into a simple price information system that can inform farmers and small traders about product prices in nearby markets and/or national reference markets. The goal of this initiative will be to provide farmers and CBO managers with data they need to make key marketing decisions (such as sell to local traders versus trying to sell wholesale themselves at the next market level) and negotiate with various buyers.

The following steps will be undertaken during 2001:

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 23

Assessment of farmer/CBO needs for price information. Early in 2002, HAP will conduct an anthropological study to assess exactly how the target audience would use price information in their crop marketing activities, and how such information should be presented or explained to maximize its utility. This assessment will based on interviews with farmers and CBO officers.

Development of a Market Price Information Plan. With help from a Short-term expert in market information systems, HAP will review its existing procedures and draw-up a plan for data collection in target markets, treatment and diffusion strategy. This will lead to the development of an operational plan for collecting and diffusing price reports to CBOs either through written reports or radio- based broadcasts. This plan will define the major parameters and methodology for such as system—specifying markets, frequencies, product coverage, methodologies, personnel issues, diffusion mechanisms and presenting a sustainability plan.

Begin diffusing price information to the target audience Using a combination of its own staff, possible subcontractors, local CBOs and local community groups, HAP will aim to actually start issuing price reports in 2002. All price information coming from this system will also be shared with the appropriate Haitian agencies and coordinating bodies (CNSA, MARNDR, etc…).

Encouraging Development of New Financing Options

HAP will build on progress began in 2001 towards helping to address important financing constraints to increasing agricultural marking and production activities. First of all, HAP staff and its subcontractor GRAFIN will continue to look for appropriate CBO clients for agricultural marketing financing from FONKOZE under its grant. GRAFIN will continue to conduct due diligence credit analyses before HAP approval of credit risk is given under the collateral account mechanism established under the HAP Financial Services Grant (FSG-001) to FONKOZE. Initial evidence from the last two quarters of 2001 suggests that except for cacao and coffee, the export market experience of CBOS in such crops as yams and pumpkins is rarely significant enough to justify a loan from a financial institution. Even for mangos, there are few CBOs that can show enough of a record of having dealt with significant volumes to be able to present a convincing loan application. Thus the prospects for expanding the portfolio of short-term credits under the FONKOZE grant may be an uphill battle, due mainly to the lack of strong CBO credit candidates. Should this lack of solvable CBO clientele present a real barrier to the expansion of the FONKOZE portfolio, HAP will explore with FONKOZE possible alternative approaches, such as opening up credit eligibility to private sector entities.

In addition to the FONKOZE large value marketing finance mechanism established in 2001, HAP will explore the potential for adding new types of financial service packages to its mix—such as smaller production oriented loans for longer terms (over 1 year) either to individuals or through some sort of solidarity group mechanism. HAP will initiate discussion with appropriate NGOs and investigate new grant mechanisms to promote the development of these new additional types of credit.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 24

Promoting Farmer-Private Sector Partnerships

HAP had much success in 2001 with the development of a workable contract-farming model bringing exporters and small farmers together to produce, in a much more controlled environment than is customary in Haitian rural areas, integrated production – sales agreements. HAP successfully developed one such case, built around hot peppers, where a mango exporter agreed to finance 100 percent of the input costs for a group of 22 small farmers. The exporter bought the seeds (from the Dominican Republic) fertilizer and pesticides, the farmers pledged irrigated land in a concentrated zone and HAP brokered the deal and supplied agronomic supervision for the project. Using this same model, HAP plans to extend this type of agreement in two ways—expanding the hectarage involved in the existing scheme by integrating new farmers to basically triple the areas under cultivation; and brokering entirely new agreements with new exporters and farmer groups in other regions. This expansion of hot pepper cultivation for export into new regions with this contract-farming model will begin in the first quarter of 2002 with the establishment of new plots in the Plateau Central.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 25

Institutional Capacity Building CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Target Beneficiaries Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 New Agricultural Marketing Campaign Training Module Training Manual Developed Developed

Agricultural Marketing Campaign Training Sessions CBOs trained in crop marketing

CBO Level Activities Advanced Accounting Training Sessions with target CBOs CBOs trained in accounting

CBO institutional assessment study Study produced

CBO reorganizations or Facilitating CBO restructuring restructurings

Price information needs assessment Assessment report completed

Market price information plan Market price information system design plan

Enabling Environment Implementation of price information reporting system Diffusion of price reports Activities

Continue to develop new agricultural financing mechanisms and 1 HAP Financial Services promote existing one Grants made

2 HAP Farmer-Private Sector Promote farmer-private sector partnerships Grants and/or contract farming agreements signed

Bold denotes CY 2002 deliverable

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 26

COMPONENT E: RESEARCH

The HAP research program for 2002 and beyond builds on and strengthens research efforts undertaken in 2001. The primary collaborating institutions carrying out the research agenda are the University of Florida (UF) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), both subcontractors to DAI. In addition, HAP has contracted with an independent consultant to carry out a number of specific socioeconomic studies designed to help HAP better understand local produce markets and the key factors which influence households to either adopt or reject technologies and crops being promoted in the HAP program.

Research Activities

Quick Turnaround Problem Solving Research

In the course of HAP’s routine activities strengthening production, post harvest and marketing systems, problems arise that cannot immediately be solved using known techniques, and therefore require some investigation as to alternative solutions. For example, during 2001, HAP staff encountered severe insect problems affecting yellow yams. We have sent samples of the insect to different sites for identification, and should be receiving recommendations for treatment – if they exist. Further research may need to occur, including possible importation and testing of resistant germplasm and/or biological or chemical control. Another example is related to identification and testing of appropriate means of pest control in pepper production which is not only effective, but also meets USDA and FDA standard regarding pesticide tolerances for entrance into the US fresh produce market. A final example is the recent increase in the banana disease sigatoka, which is threatening banana production in the North West.

Research of this work does not lend itself well to development in an annual planning cycle, since it is in response to particular unanticipated problems as they arise. Nevertheless, it is a critical part of the HAP program, since maintaining sustainable production and marketing systems hinges on the ability to rapidly adjust to and solve problems as they arise. This type of research will be done on an as-needed basis through a combination of HAP STTA assignments and contracted work using the HAP Research subcontractors, CIAT and the University of Florida.

Adaptive Agronomic Research

Adaptive research is medium term, and addresses issues, problems and opportunities that can easily be foreseen given HAP’s knowledge or production and marketing conditions in Haiti. This type of research includes research on new varieties and cultural practices involving multi-year experimental trials in order to define particular packages for wider use in Haiti. A major emphasis of this type of research will be the selection from the international germplasm pool of candidate varieties of food crops will be tested in Haiti both at station-like controlled research sites as well as on farmers’ fields. This responds particularly to the fact that little new germplasm has been introduced to Haiti in the last

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 27

20 years, and great progress has been made internationally during that period which should imply significant production and productivity increases should be forthcoming. Virtually of the adaptive HAP research will be conducted by specialized research subcontractors - The University of Florida and CIAT.

Experimental adaptive research on soil fertility

Although PADF has some experience in using green manure crops (jack beans and velvet beans) to enhance soil fertility in associations with food crops such as maize during the inter-seasonal fallow period, very little experience exists in Haiti on the use of these and other green manure crops as in situ mulch to provide constant cover. Techniques such as these have been used with very promising results in Central America on much larger plots than are common in Haiti and with a very different farming system. HAP will begin work during 2002 on a program of adaptive research for nitrogen-fixing cover crops and other mechanisms for improving soil fertility. During this first year, work will begin with the identification of appropriate agro-climatic zones and CBOs and the negotiation of PBAs or other possible sub-contractual relationships with appropriate local organizers of trial research plots (local NGOs and stronger CBOs. This effort will be led by the University of Florida.

Experimental adaptive research on agro-forestry crop associations

HAP will conduct a series of on-farm trials to identify economically and ecologically agro-forestry associations and sequences to combine fruit trees with high value understory crops. The overall objective will be to provide farmers with more short-term streams of revenue from plots allotted to fruit tree production. Identifying economically viable associations can have a potentially large impact on the willingness of small farmers to allocate large plots of contiguous land to fruit plantations. This effort will also be directed and implemented by the University of Florida and included in the attached UF work plan.

Introduction of new basic food/forage crop varieties

CIAT, in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), will continue a research program began under the Hurricane Georges Recovery Program (HGRP).

Key elements of that plan include:

• Selection of candidate varieties of maize, beans, cassava and forage with potentially desirable yield, disease resistance, and drought tolerance characteristics.

• Testing of candidate varieties in selected research sites in the North and South to obtain representative results in terms of adaptability to Haitian conditions.

• Conduct of farmer and researcher managed trials on farmer fields to determine farmer reactions and measures of adoption potential.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 28

• Multiplication of seed in anticipation of farmer demand for selected new varieties.

• Testing of alternative food crop associations.

• Development and testing of artisanal seed production and distribution systems for hillside farmers.

• Participatory research.

• Incorporation of food/forage crops into soil conservation structures

Socio-economic Research

Three socioeconomic research activities are planned for the year 2002, as described below.

Analysis of seed market distortions

This was a scheduled Technical Study in the 2001 HAP workplan that was not completed in order to permit a donor working group to consider the results of the HGRP seed market study conducted by ORE in Fall of 2001. A meeting of the inter-donor coordination committee in December 2001 to consider seed sub-sector issues called for a further meeting in 2002 to consider what follow-up was appropriate after the HGRP study. HAP postponed the elaboration of its scope of work for this planed 2001 study until such time as the donor agricultural sector working group had met again, in order to ensure careful coordination.2

In any event, HAP intends to conduct this study during 2002 in coordination with the donor agricultural sector working group. The Haitian seed market is widely recognized as suffering from severe distortions. Seeds are highly subsidized and provided in many cased by donor-sponsored projects at or below the cost of production. Despite this, their availability is far from widespread and farmers planting such open pollination crops as corn generally use common grain unless they have access to improved seeds through a non market-based distribution channel. At the seed multiplication level, seed producers complain that they cannot cover costs without subsidies since farmers are unwilling or unable to pay actual seed production costs. HAP will conduct study effort with appropriate STTA to identify measures to improve the efficiency of the market for improved seeds and for increasing the commercial feasibility of producing improved seeds for major crops. This study will build on the earlier HGRP study and be coordinated with the existing donor working group, as explained above.

Multi-Year Household NRM impact research

An independent consultant social scientist with long Haiti experience will look at: (1) the way Haitian small farmer families make decisions about natural resource management and crop production and (2) the benefits/costs of HAP interventions within a small

2 As of February 2002, the donor working group had not issued a report of its findings. Should the inter- donor effort on this collapse, HAP will re-asses with USAID whether this study should continue.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 29

number of households. USAID projects have reported numbers of soil conservation structures installed, rates of adoption, and farmer opinions regarding the increased crop production attributed to soil conservation, and HAP will continue to do this in its M&E program. However, very little is known about how farmers look at the costs of installation and management of crop and NRM technologies compared to the benefits and risks. This kind of detailed household level perception data is necessary to understand the fundamental reasons for adoption or non-adoption, and will complement the findings of the regular M&E reporting activities. The goal of the study is to identify the factors that influence spontaneous replication of soil conservation investments. The study will begin in 2002 and continue throughout the life of the project with periodic results report and an end of project synthesis study with recommendations. The methodology will be based on a panel sample of a small size, with in-depth follow up to measure attitudinal changes over the project period.

Analysis of the structure and function of domestic wholesale fresh fruit and vegetable market

HAP efforts under the Market-Oriented Production Component to arrange domestic marketing structures for export rejects of yam, malanga, and tropical pumpkin have shown the potential of the domestic wholesale market as a constant source of demand for CBO produce. However, little is known about how the domestic wholesale market actually works. Information on market levels, transaction quantities, price setting mechanisms, access rules, and distribution networks is anecdotal at best. The few existing studies tend to repeat an abstract conceptual framework that is not adequately verified with real ground-level research. And virtually no systematic or methodologically viable information is available on prices and margins. Many reports, for instance give glib general assertion that “no quality standards exist,” yet anybody who spends more than a few hours in the main whole sale market for Port-au-Prince at Croix de Bossales can see that there are a number of large-traders who will judge significant product arrivals and pronounce them to be saleable at a specific price; and that no one will buy produce until it has received such an inspection. Trying to impose a new “modern” quality standards in the domestic market, without understanding how this traditional system works, would be setting oneself up for failure. Furthermore, it is clear that women occupy most of the critical decision points in the domestic wholesale marketing system and that male negotiators from CBOs, for instance, are at a decided disadvantage when dealing with them. Thus there is a very important gender aspect, as well to the traditional domestic marking system.

To understand this system and help HAP design appropriate mechanisms for working with it, HAP will undertake a domestic wholesale marketing system study looking at the fruit and vegetables market. This study, to be led by an STTA economist or anthropologist with local STTA researchers, will address the following aspects of the domestic fruit and vegetables marketing system: description of market actors and levels; geographic and product specialization; prices and margins at different levels; credit and financing arrangements; social and gender aspects of market organization; and suggest appropriate avenues for HAP interventions and make general recommendations for enhancing efficiency and integration with export market product chains. The actual

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 30

research design and methodology will be formulate in a research design mission to take place in late Spring/early Summer 2002. It is anticipate that this study will take over 12 months to allow for the collection of hard and reliable data. Interim results will be published, however, before the final report production in 2003.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 31

Research CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2001 Major Activity Sub Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Quick Identification of critical short-term research issues Quick turn around research Turnaround solutions, as needed Research Quick turnaround research missions

Experimental adaptive research on soil fertility Research plan developed Adaptive Agronomic Adaptive research on agro-forestry associations Research plan developed Research Trial plots for new crops Introduction of new basic food/forage crop varieties established

Analysis of seed market distortions Technical Study (*)

Socio-economic Research plan developed and NRM impact research Research being implemented

Research plan developed and Domestic wholesale fruit and vegetable study being implemented

(*) CY 2001 deliverable outstanding as of 12/31/01

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 32

COMPONENT F: MONITORING AND EVALUATION

During 2001, significant effort was put into establishing a methodology and database system for measuring the eight HAP performance indicators established in the 2001 workplan. As a result of this work, HAP now has a database that tracks data from all the farmer plots under the HAP NRM component, along with plot and sales data from individual farmer-CBO commodity sales transactions. The basic methodology for measuring the indicators has also been defined—as described in the HAP 2001 Annual Results Report produced in January 2002.

Monitoring and Evaluation Activities

In addition to the regular core M&E activities of producing data for the quarterly and annual results reports, special HAP M&E activities in 2002 will consist of the following:

Improving certain M&E data collection procedures

Two of the basic HAP data collection tools for production/marketing and NRM data (fich danrè and fich KSDL) will be revised and improved during the first quarter of 2002. This effort will include refresher training for CBO extension agents who are responsible for filling out the information required in these tools.

Adding to the HAP M&E database

In 2002, HAP will modify its M&E database to give regional managers access to data on CBO level sales transactions (essentially volumes and prices). In 2001, this data was not readily available at the regional level, as it was collected and documented by M&E staff in Port-au-Prince. HAP will also add to this CBO tracking system a system for better following exporter-level sales. Such data will not be exhaustive, since HAP must relay on voluntary communication of such things as fob sales priced from exporters. But this should be sufficient to provide a better idea of what prices exporters are receiving for key HAP crops.

Special verification survey on mango losses with use of packing crates

HAP will conduct a special survey of CBO members and exporters involved in the planned pilot packing crate project in order to measure the estimated impact of crate use on loss rates.

Establishment of updated crop budgets

HAP has produced estimates of cost of production for farmers for yams in 2001. During 2002 similar estimates will be established for all key HAP crops and augmented with data on marketing costs and shipping costs to provide an integrated (albeit indicative) picture of costs and margins from the farm to the point of import.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 33

Monitoring & Evaluation CY 2002 Activities Schedule

2002 Component Activities Outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Regular HAP Reporting Annual Result Reports 2001 Report

Revision and retraining for basic M&E data collection tools Revised forms being used

New data made available to HAP M&E data base expanded managers and USAID

Special M&E Activities Survey on impact of crate use on mango loss rate Data on mango loss rates

Crop budgets established for Crop budgets set-up major HAP crops

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 34

COMPONENT G: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATION

Having fully completed start-up activities during the first year of the contract, the HAP management team will continue to focus its efforts on high quality implementation of the technical components of the program while ensuring all necessary administrative, financial and logistical support is provided.

Program Management / Administration Activities:

Day-to-day management

The COP, supported by the DCOP and key local and Home Office administrative and technical staff, will ensure the proper implementation of the HAP program. This involves maintaining high quality, responsive communications with USAID, HAP subcontractors and HAP professional staff through emails, meetings, and other formal and informal contacts. An important aspect of this work relates to dealing with issues, requests and crises that arise periodically, applying good analytical skills, cultural awareness and common sense to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

Periodic Reporting

In addition providing a regular day-to day informal flow of information to USIAD, the HAP management team will provide regular progress and results reports. HAP’s reporting on progress and results will conform with calendar quarters and will allow HAP to closely match accomplishments with the performance indicators set forth in the annual work plan. The following reports will be submitted during the year 2002:

• an annual work plan for 2003; • 4 quarterly reports highlighting plans, accomplishments and outputs/interim results; • monthly HAP News Bulletin distributed to USAID by e-mail; • a bi-annual HAP Newsletter in French and English, with export market news; • HAP activity write-ups and feature articles on agricultural sector developments.

2002 Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2003 Annual Work plan Quarterly Report Monthly HAP News Bulletin Bi-Annual HAP Newsletter

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 35

Grants Management

The status of the $3.0 million grants CLIN in the HAP budget at the beginning of 2002 was as follows:

PADF Farmer Investment Fund: Expenditures $ 530,402 Unspent Commitments: $ 10,204 Remaining Uncommitted: $ 1,659,394

HAP Grants: Expenditures $ 150,073 Unspent Commitments: $ 266,927 Remaining Uncommitted: $ 383,000

Activities under the PADF Farmer Investment Fund (FIF) will continue as in 2001. A large number of annual cycle FIF awards to HAP CBOs will be processed at the end of the first quarter/beginning of second quarter of 2002. These will include support for germplasm acquisition (both for soil conservation structures and marketing-production activities), training activities and limited CBO infrastructure investment. Additional FIF awards will be processed throughout the remainder of the year to support additional projects with current and new HAP CBOs as Performance-based agreements (PBAs) are negotiated.

HAP Grant activities in 2002 will focus on managing the current training grants to SOFIHDES and FACN and the Financial Services Grant to Fonkoze. The SOFIHDES and FACN grants will come to term 2002. Grant activities will be evaluated prior to the end of the grant periods to ascertain whether any follow-on activities or grant extensions are warranted. In addition, HAP expects to award a number of new grants in 2002. New grant awards will be made for the recently approved New Market Development Grants as well as the possible addition of Financial Service Grants.

Contracts Management

DAI will continue to provide management oversight for all subcontracts which currently include four long-term subcontracts: PADF, FINTRAC, CIAT and the University of Florida and one short-term contract with GRAFIN, SA.

Other subcontracts will be negotiated on an as needed basis and will be concentrated in four program sectors:

Agricultural production services: subcontracts to NGOs (such as ASSODLO, ASSOHDED, ORE, CARE, CRS, WVI GHRAP…), CBOs and agribusinesses who can provide extension, training, supervision and material support for small farmer crop production activities.

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 36

Information dissemination services: subcontracts to local providers of produce training materials, radio broadcast production and diffusion, and support other information diffusion activities.

Technical assistance services: provision of short/long term technical assistance for HAP studies, advisory missions, monitoring and evaluation and training activities.

Research services: support for longer-term research activities, such as providing on-site supervision and monitoring of experimental research plots in coordination with HAP research subcontractors (University of Florida and CIAT).

Currently there is only one contract under negotiation—with CARE Inc. This is designed for the provision of cacao extension services in the Grande Anse.

CY 2002 Deliverables

The following deliverables will be produced in 2002.

Market-Oriented Production:

• 10 coffee demonstration plots established; • 2 fiches/manuels techniques on coffee processing; • Simplified distribution and sales procedures adopted by FACN for HB in the US; • 5 CBO-exporter sales agreements signed for mango season; • 2 fiches/manuels techniques on mango production and tree/seedling care; • 4 CBO-exporter sales agreements signed for cacao; • 7 CBO-exporter sales agreements for white and yellow yams; • 3 fiches/manuels techniques on yam post-harvest handling

Natural Resource Management

• 368,000 linear meters of soil conservation/NRM structures

Export Marketing

• 4 trial shipments arranged with New Market Development Grants (3 raw and 1 processed product) • 3 exporter training seminars on technical constraints facing exporters

Institutional Capacity Building

• Market Price Information System diffusing domestic market prices to farmers • 2 HAP farmer-agribusiness grants and/or contract farming agreements • 1 HAP financial services grant made

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 37

CY 2001 Deliverables Outstanding

A number of 2001 deliverables were still in the process of being produced at the close of the calendar year. These deliverables will also be produced in 2001. A review of these with anticipated dates of finalization is presented as follows:

Fiches Techniques or Manuels Techniques:

2001 Deliverables planned: 7 2001 Deliverables completed: 5

Remaining 2001 Fiches/Manuels Techniques to be produced in 2002:

• Fiche technique on Coffee plant care & pruning (FT-04)— 1st quarter • Cacao Side-grafting (FT-03)—1st quarter

Quality Standards Guides/Posters:

2001 Deliverables planned: 7 2001 Deliverables completed: 6

Remaining 2001 Quality Standards Guides/Poster to be produced in 2002:

• Cacao Quality Standards Guide (MK-02)—1st quarter

HAP Technical Studies

2001 Deliverables planned: 6 2001 Deliverables completed: 2

Remaining 2001 HAP Technical Studies to be produced in 2002:

• Study on seed market efficiency (date to be set after donor agricultural working group meeting) • Improving Quality of Haitian yams (TS-04)—1st quarter • Mango Processing Prefeasibility Study (TS-03)—1st quarter • Coffee Wet Processing Quality Guidelines (this deliverable has been reclassified as a manuel technique and will be published as MT-04 in the 2nd quarter)

HAP CY 2002 Workplan 38