Evaluating & Learning in Haiti: Household Impacts of SRI

The research aimed to evaluate the impact of a coordinated SRI intervention on household welfare, including farm profit, income, and food security measures. Key research questions centered on the mechanisms driving household impacts of SRI, characteristics influencing adoption decisions, and the role of coordination with neighbors in SRI adoption and implementation. The study employed a randomized exposure design, with SRI blocs selected randomly and matched control blocs. Farmer-level incentives were used to encourage adoption of SRI practices. Intra-seasonal measurement of inputs, including the value of family and hired labor, was conducted to ensure accurate data collection. A consistent definition of SRI was established through the use of SRI-linked credit, which created a common understanding of the practices among farmers. Baseline data on farmer characteristics revealed significant variability in land area, cultivated parcels, and land ownership among the study sites. The most food-insecure season in the Artibonite valley was identified as the period between the end of the dry season and the start of the rainy season. During this time, households reported being worried about food availability, limiting meals, and unable to eat preferred foods. The production cost per hectare for different rice cultivation systems in the Artibonite valley was calculated, with workforce costs accounting for 75% of total costs in the traditional system and 83% in the SRI system. Yield data for the SRI, SRA, and SRT systems showed varying results, with SRI yields ranging from 5.75 to 7.21 tons per hectare in 2015. Adoption rates of SRI practices among farmers in the study sites were tracked over two years. In 2014, adoption rates ranged from 2.0% to 51.2%, with the highest adoption rate observed in the Potri bloc. By 2015, adoption rates had decreased, with the highest rate observed in the Castera bloc. The percentage of land area in each planting system also varied among the study sites, with the SRI system accounting for a significant proportion of land area in some blocs. The study's findings have implications for agricultural development initiatives in Haiti, highlighting the importance of coordinated SRI interventions and the need for careful consideration of farmer characteristics and adoption decisions. The results also underscore the significance of intra-seasonal measurement of inputs and the establishment of a consistent definition of SRI practices.