Haiti - Humanitarian : France buys more than 1,000 tons of rice from Haiti - HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7
Download the School calendar 2023-2024 (Official)





iciHaiti - Futsal qualifiers for the 2024 World Cup : Grenadiers pre-list

iciHaiti - Insecurity : Blocked outside the country for 1 month, two Ministers return to Haiti

iciHaiti - Special D1 Championship : Presentation of the 5th day

iciHaiti - Port-de-Paix : Reconstruction of the Roundabout at the corner of Street D. Estimé…

iciHaiti - Economy : Message from the Embassy of Haiti in France


more news


Haiti - News : Zapping...

Haiti - PNH : Message from Frantz Elbé to the population and the police (Video)

Haiti - Politic : After 17 days, the Presidential Council publishes its first press release...

Haiti - FLASH : The USA will provide weapons and ammunition to the PNH

Haiti - News : Zapping...


more news


Haiti - Humanitarian : France buys more than 1,000 tons of rice from Haiti
14/07/2011 12:57:53

Haiti - Humanitarian : France buys more than 1,000 tons of rice from Haiti
France has unlocked 1.3 million euros to purchase 1.085 metric tons of rice to the Haitian farmers intended to be distributed to the Haitian people through the World Food Programme (WFP). This sum is added to the €2 million already disbursed in January 2011 for the same purpose.

In Haiti, nearly three million people depend every day of food aid programs to feed. But paradoxically, this support composed essentially of agricultural surplus imported from the North, is a double-edged sword : it is essential to the survival of almost 30% of people in this country, it also deprives the Haitian peasants of a large part of their customers. These local farmers are faced with a food assistance generously offered by the North countries and commercial imports at very low cost (subsidized by the producing countries and not taxed by Haiti) carried out by large traders. They are unable to match these prices and these farmers abandon their farms to join the ranks of people who depend on food aid.

Is to break this "vicious circle" that France devotes since 2005, an increasing proportion of its credits of food aid in Haiti for the purchase of local products. Rather than spending all of these resources for the importation of grain coming from its own territory, the French cooperation uses a part to help the peasant associations to increase their production, then, it bought the production at a price studied to help these farmers to live of their work and to prepare the next harvest, but low enough to not cause an increase in the price of these food goods on local markets. To do this, France is helping these farmers to organize themselves into cooperatives and chambers, which allows them to better negotiate with market intermediaries and to make joint investments (irrigation schemes, construction of warehouses and glaze drying, purchase of motorized mills, etc...).

In late January, France had already released two million euros for the same program. Late June, it decided to complete the first budget by an additional allocation of 1.3 million euros for the purchase of approximately 1.085 tons of rice in Haiti, directly to the WFP, covering 6% of its annual requirements (ie 20.000 tonnes of cereals).

In a concern for transparency, the France details the use of the donation in the following manner:

  • 887.537 euros for the purchase of 1.085 metric tons of rice produced locally;
  • 365.008 euros to cover the costs associated of WFP for the distribution of this stock in its various programs (transport, logistics costs, etc.).
  • 15.455 euros for the purchase of 50.000 bags for packaging of products (provided to farmers);
  • 32 000 euros of provisions for the variation of the exchange rate / price (the donation of France is in euros, while the purchases are in gourds...).


Rice bought with this French aid will be distributed via:

  • The nutrition program for children 6 months to 5 years and pregnant and lactating women, led by the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), the World Bank and UNICEF. 550.000 children from 6 months to 5 years, pregnant women and nursing mothers benefits of this aid through health centres;
  • The National Program of School Canteens (NSCP), which provides a daily hot meal to 1.5 million children.
  • The Cholera Treatment Centres (CTCs) across the country.


HL/ HaitiLibre

Twitter Facebook Rss
Send news to... Daily news...




Why HaitiLibre ? | Contact us | Français
Copyright © 2010 - 2024
Haitilibre.com