As the captains of business and industry meet in Davos for the World Economic Forum this week, the devastation caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti will be near the top of their agenda. It should be, for there is much that they can do to help.
Agriculture plays a vital role in Haiti’s economy, yet the country does not produce enough food to feed its people. Some 60 percent of the food that Haitians need, and as much as 80 percent of the rice that they eat, is imported. Sustainable agricultural development is essential to improving the country’s prospects for long-term economic and food security.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development has seen first-hand how investing in agriculture can help people recover from natural disasters. Our experience in developing countries tells us that investments in agriculture can be twice as effective in reducing poverty as similar investments in other sectors.
Less than two years ago, Haiti was devastated by a hurricane that caused about $220 million in damage to food crops — at a time when the population was also struggling to feed itself because of high world food prices. IFAD funded a program to kick-start food production. The 2008 winter planting yielded $5 million in bean crops, helping to improve food security and the incomes of poor farmers.
One group now rising from Haiti’s rubble is Fonkoze, a microfinance organization operating predominantly in rural Haiti. With assistance from IFAD’s multidonor Financing Facility for Remittances, Fonkoze purchased satellite phones and diesel generators in 2007, and began delivering remittance services in rural areas where basic infrastructure is often weak or lacking.
Only today is the true value of that investment coming to light. Fonkoze was back in operation only days after the earthquake. Remittances transferred through Fonkoze are free, giving recipient families in Haiti vital resources to meet short-term needs while also encouraging long-term development.
When I am in Davos, I will highlight for the CEOs and business leaders the mutual benefits of forming partnerships with small producers. The productive capacity of Haiti’s small farmers will be crucial in helping the country overcome this crisis and avert severe food shortages. That is why Haiti needs the private sector now more than ever — to help rebuild both the country and the livelihoods of poor rural people.
Kanayo F. Nwanze is president of the United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development. © Project Syndicate
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