Challenges

In Haiti,?while the rural population has been?steadily?declining due to rural flight and urbanization, agriculture?is?still?responsible for?a large portion of?jobs,?20 percent?of the?country’s?GDP, while low productivity and land tenure insecurity are significant problems?for smallholder farmers.?

Rural youth often struggle to find support in joining the labour market and/or developing their own businesses, leading to impoverishment and rural flight. Education, capacity development and training are crucial aspects to the fight against rural poverty and ensure rural youth have opportunities within their own communities.??

Rural youth in Haiti represents both a challenge and an opportunity?when it comes to?poverty?reduction in?the country’s?rural communities.?Generating?decent employment opportunities for young people must be encouraged and supported. The achievement of SDG 1 (No?Poverty) and?rural economic development?can only be achieved?through?enabling environments?that?empower?youth?to achieve their full potential.?

Toward a Solution

In 2018, the Chilean Fund against Hunger and Poverty started an innovative South-South financing project that contributes to the development of young people in southern Haiti and strengthens their knowledge through the implementation of associative and individual agro-production projects related to environmental sustainability.

This project with Haiti was based on a previous triangular cooperation initiative between Haiti, Chile and Germany, called the IANA pro- ject (“Imajine avni-nou ansanm – Imagine a future together”), carried out between 2014 and 2017. This allowed the creation of entrepreneurial capacities in Haitian youth from Aquin, on environmental sustainability and the transformation of agricultural products. The previous triangular cooperation experience has therefore played an important role in informing the project design of this project.

The project develops the capacities of 23 young people from marginal rural areas of southern Haiti (Aquin commune) to promote five experiences in micro-entrepreneurship in sustainable agriculture and the transformation of local agricultural products. It contributes primarily to environmentally-friendly technical training, which is linked to SDG 1 and secondarily to SDG 8, generating sources of self-employment for marginalized youth and their families. The project contributes to the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) priority areas 2 (Agriculture, food security and rural development) and 5 (Human and social development). The project provides a response to the accelerated and growing migration of unemployed Haitian youth, by offering autonomous work options and helping them to transform productive agriculture.

The project developed the capacities of four trainers from the Training Centre of the Haitian Foundation for Resource Development (HDRF), a local partner in Haiti, training young people in the development of job skills and fostering partnership with innovation and care for the environment. It also includes the transfer of the experience of the Chilean Fund for Solidarity and Social Investment (FOSIS) in the field of self-employment and the strengthening of local capacities.

During 2019, the internships were carried out by the team of trainers, while during the Covid-19 pandemic, they continued through virtual meetings.

The trainers were joined by two former AGCID fellows (former IANA project coordinators), one of whom continues to be part of the team of trainers, creating a cooperative bond with the young beneficiaries, and facilitating the understanding and cultural adaptation of the capacity to transfer.

Within the framework of the prior triangular cooperation, a diagnostic assessment was created through a participatory and intersectoral pro- cess among regional, local and central teams of the Haitian ministries of environment, agriculture and education (IANA project). The assessment provided a detailed classification of the area in which the project is implemented. This participatory work is currently maintained in partnership with the HRDF territorial partner, the team of trainers and the young participants.