Haiti

Haitian workers sort washed mangoes for export. Grown exclusively in Haiti, the award-winning Haitian Francique mango has irresistible tropical aroma and sweetness. The primary importer of Francique mangoes is the United States. USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are supporting mango producers and exporters to improve product quality and the efficiency of pre-export clearance requirements

Overview

 Haiti is a semi-arid, mountainous Caribbean country with densely populated coastal plains, river valleys, and a large elevated plateau.  The country’s greatest assets are the more than 9 million resilient Haitians, limited but diverse agricultural resources, and a potential garment export industry.  One of the world’s poorest countries and recently suffering an estimated $900 million in hurricane-related damages, Haiti is defined as a low-income chronic food deficit country by the World Bank, only able to produce less than half of food needs (43 percent in 2008).
          
Under the leadership of President René Préval, economic growth was 2.5 percent in 2006, but dropped to 1.3 percent in 2008. Many challenges remain, including:

• 54 percent of Haitians live on less than $1/day (UNDP HDR 2007) while illiteracy is estimated at 44 percent;
• Unemployment rate in the formal sector is between 70-80 percent;
• 46 percent of Haitians do not have sustainable access to potable water (UNDP HDR 2007);
• Haiti ranks 154 of 177 countries in the UN's Human Development Index.

U.S. assistance aims at enabling Haiti to become a secure, progressing, democratic polity that meets Haitians’ socioeconomic needs and contributes to Caribbean stability.  Historically, Haiti has faced repeated crises and setbacks due to political conflict, weak governing institutions, deep poverty, food insecurity, environmental degradation, HIV/AIDS, and organized crime.  USAID programs seek to strengthen governance; improve civic security and stability; foster economic security; provide basic education, health, and HIV/AIDS services; and reduce disaster vulnerability.

Programs

Peace and Security

USAID conflict mitigation programs complement U.S. Embassy security programs in conflict-prone communities.  In 2008, more than 100,000 Haitians received short-term jobs to rebuild infrastructure, benefiting more than 211,000 at-risk individuals in 140 hotspot neighborhoods in Haiti’s six principal cities.

Governing Justly & Democratically

Although democracy remains fragile due to weak institutions and limited public accountability, USAID assistance has realized  progress toward justice  reform, legislative branch performance, and civic engagement.  USAID support facilitated the passage of two laws creating a modern Magistrates’ School and setting standards for an independent judiciary.  Over 9,430 citizens received legal aid or access to Justices of the Peace.

Investing In People

USAID programs strongly support Haiti’s social development. USAID activities financed access to basic health services to approximately 4.8 million Haitians--nearly 50 percent of the population.  Services included vaccinations for more than 60,000 children and delivery of reproductive health services to more than 200,000 Haitians.  A wide number of water systems provided access to clean water to more than 400,000 Haitians.  HIV/AIDS prevention activities reached 1.5 million people, while more than 16,000 individuals currently receive anti-retroviral drugs.  Over 50,000 students in 427 schools benefited from distance-based education while 47,000 scholarships were established for the 2008-2009 school year.  In response to the food riots and hurricanes, USAID’s school feeding programs surged from 44,000 to 394,000 children per day.

Economic Growth

USAID programs improve economic opportunities and livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of Haitians.  Lending to rural and semi-rural micro-businesses reached more than 370,000 clients, particularly women, who utilized 65 percent of the USAID-supported $63.7 million lending portfolio. USAID’s Development Credit Authority guarantee program has promoted nearly $2 million of private financing and created an additional $6 million guarantee facility for the productive sectors, raising the overall potential leveraged amount of private financing to $12.5 million.  USAID’s workforce development program expanded to reach more than 4,800 unemployed youth in 2008.  

Humanitarian Assistance

Responding to increasing food insecurity and hurricanes in 2008, USAID’s emergency assistance rapidly expanded to provide emergency food assistance to more than 2 million Haitians. Within days of hurricanes striking Haiti, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance supported more than 40,000 displaced families with emergency supplies and early recovery activities. USAID is directing the delivery of more than $100 million in hurricane relief and reconstruction activities designed to restore public services and livelihoods, infrastructure, stabilize watersheds, and develop the Government of Haiti’s disaster preparedness and mitigation capacity.