Haiti - Agriculture : Towards the creation of a National Agency for Agricultural Research
From September 7 to 10, 2014 at Kaliko Beach (Arcadins Coast), the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) will organize the days of the College of Teachers Researchers in agricultural research and rural development towards the creation of a National Agency for Agricultural Research for Sustainable Development (ANARAD).
The mission of this agency will be to revitalize agricultural research and stimulate innovation through partnership mechanisms with all stakeholders. The ANARAD represents one of the two instruments provided in the document of consolidation policy of the dimension research of the national innovation system in the fields of agriculture and sustainable rural development formulated in 2014 by the MARNDR. This instrument is a response to the problem of the research, as mentioned in April 2013 at the Assises of the agronomic research : deficiency of teachers- researchers in our universities, lack of status of teacher researcher; lessons taught by "lecturers"; mismatch between research and the challenges of rural development, etc...
In addition, this agency is also part of the efforts already made by the Haitian Government to define a policy for Agricultural Development (PDA), a National Agricultural Investment Plan (PNIA), a Master Plan for Agricultural Popularization (PDVA) and a Triennial Agricultural Recovery Programme (PTRA : 2013-2016); all these documents recognize the fundamental role of research.
As envisaged in the policy document, the ANARAD must also promote the production of scientific knowledge in the field of agriculture, natural resources and rural development and also ensure their distribution by strengthening the capacity of public institutions and private. It is proposed that the ANARAD be created with an Autonomous Institution status of administrative nature, cultural or scientific responsible of a classic public service activity or any other specific missions compatible with government missions.
The ANARAD will fund research in both the public and private sectors. It will promote cooperation, the partnership between researchers. The production of pre-approved results will generate disbursements from the Agency, which will have also of organs specially designed for management such as: Steering Committee, Scientific Analysis and Forecasting Council (CAPS), College of teachers-researchers, legal and financial services and Directorate for project support...
