Haiti – Agriculture: Development of the cocoa sector

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Haiti – Agriculture: Development of the cocoa sector
January 9, 2024 09:47:21

At the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, in association with Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders (AVSF), and as part of the “JADEN / KREYOL / PROFISUD” project funded by Global Affairs Canada and the Swiss Cooperation, a workshop was organized this week at the Hotel Montana to present a strategic framework for the development and governance of the Haitian cocoa sector.

The event, organized by Group Croissance SA, aimed not only to present the issues facing the industry but also to gather opinions and reactions from stakeholders on the document’s guidelines, which mainly focus on better development and governance of the cocoa sector.

“This seminar allows us to provide one or more concrete answers to this key question: how can we revitalize Haiti’s cocoa sector with the goal of reconciling the interests of producers and agribusiness with the growth of national wealth, driven by good governance?” said Cléomé Abel, coordinator of the Haitian Coffee Institute (INCAH). “At the level of the Ministry of Agriculture, we are taking steps so that, over the next decade, through this strategic framework that is about to be completed, the cocoa sector can recover its performance and grow.” Data presented by Minister of Agriculture Vernet Joseph indicate that the cocoa sector has not performed well in recent years. “I will not dwell on the statistics of Haitian cocoa production. One should focus on the most recent data that indicate the reasons for the decline in production, which fell from 20,000 tons per year in 1960 to 5,000 tons per year in 2022,” the minister lamented, adding: “Despite this, it remains a very important sector of the country’s economy. In the last five years, cocoa has generated an average of 536 million gourdes per year and about 130,000 people are directly dependent on the sector”, Minister Joseph affirmed, adding that various constraints have prevented the sector from developing properly. He cited technical and financial constraints, lack of marketing channels during the harvest period, aging of cocoa trees and producers, and declining production as factors. However, the minister added that increasing cocoa production is a priority and given the sector’s dynamic and internal characteristics, increasing its production will require many targeted and complementary actions in the short, medium and long term.

“It will therefore adopt a progressive approach, focusing on diversified production and structured actions and specific plot development techniques,” the minister insisted.

Ermitha Mingot, Project Manager at Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders (AVSF), recalled in her presentation that cocoa is Haiti’s third largest agricultural export after essential oils and mangoes. She continued that Haitian cocoa is in high demand on the international market for its intrinsic qualities. “It is therefore good that the players, producers, cooperatives, regulatory support agencies continue the improvement process to address the various challenges facing the sector,” she concluded, “Our vision is to achieve a competitive value chain that increases incomes and serves as a lever for decent job creation.”

It is noteworthy that this document was analyzed in both form and content. After a day of hard work in lectures and group discussions, the technicians failed to complete the technical and strategic considerations that are also worth exploring in depth. In addition, they agreed to continue this work and share their recommendations within a reasonable time.

HL/ Haiti Liberty News

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