Global Affairs Canada has granted a new, large-scale mandate in the Grand'Anse department of southern Haiti to Développement international Desjardins (DID) and other NGOs forming the Alliance agricole internationale. In addition to DID, the Alliance includes the Centre d'étude et de coopération internationale (CECI), the Société de coopération pour le développement international (SOCODEVI) and the Union des producteurs agricoles – Développement international (UPA-DI).
Climate Adaptation and Economic Development of Agricultural Sectors in Haiti is a 5-year project aimed at sustainably boosting the added value of 2 key value chains—cocoa and yams—and of related high-value crops. In addition, the project's goal is to support the resilience of these value chains in the face of climate change. As such, the Alliance agricole internationale will help the country deal more effectively with climate events such as Hurricane Matthew, which battered the island in 2016. The high-value crops targeted by the project are mainly controlled by women and support their financial autonomy and their families' food security.
DID's role under this mandate entails improving access to financing for stakeholders associated with the 2 agricultural sectors involved in the project. This is an essential component of ensuring sustainable value-chain development.