Haiti : food for development program (PL-480 - Title III) -- lessons and recommendations

480 Title III program in Haiti from 1985-86, this review discusses in depth the institutional and political constraints that affected the level of success in implementing the self help measures (SHM"s) and policy reforms attached to the Title III Agreement. Most of the conclusions are in the area of program design and management. The only two SHMs" directly affecting the agricultural sector that were successfully completed were (1) coffee tax reduced, and (2) wheat flour price reduced. In the area of general marketing systems reforms, the transportation sector, which affects agricultural traders, was affected by (1) the increase of diesel fuel taxes, (2) revised procedures for petroleum import taxes, and (3) increased use of labor-intensive methods for road construction. The review concludes that government officials, not surprisingly, will not hesitate to agree to a set of reforms in order to secure financing for food imports in politically unstable times, even though they are not strongly committed to the reforms - and that, once committed to a set of reforms on paper, the government only implemented those which it perceived to have direct immediate benefit, i.e., revenue producing measures, and politically positive changes affecting prime constituencies. Another main conclusion of the review was that "real reforms will not take place if they are not placed within a viable institutional framework," and that the lack of an institutional framework and positive attitude in Haiti was the primary barrier to effective development change leveraged through Title III. (Author abstract, from PN-ABD-893)