Resilient Livelihoods – Resilient communities

Agriculture remains the cornerstone of rural livelihoods in Haiti, with approximately 70% of rural residents and employment dependent on it [4]. Yet, despite its central importance, the sector is deeply fragile and underdeveloped, facing soil degradation, erosion, and watershed destruction. Agriculture is one of the most forgotten and uncertain sectors in Haiti, and financial institutions do not offer credits to small farmers due to uncertainty and lack of confidence. Consequently, this fuels unemployment, malnutrition, forced migration to the Dominican Republic and other countries, and implication of many young people in illicit activities.

Recent interventions show positive results. Under a World Bank–supported initiative, 4,267 farmers adopted improved agricultural technologies and 2,050 hectares were placed under sustainable land management [5]. Similarly, FAO-supported livelihood recovery activities have reached nearly 70,000 people who rely on agriculture in crisis-affected areas [6]. These results demonstrate that targeted investment can rapidly strengthen resilience and productivity.

Likewise, this project seeks to support local farmers in remote areas by tackling land degradation, expanding access to quality agricultural inputs, modernizing irrigation systems, and strengthening agricultural value chains. Doing so, it will empower smallholder farmers—particularly women—while reducing food insecurity (including malnutrition), increasing household incomes, and fostering long-term resilience across Haiti’s rural economy.