In April 2016, Haïti Priorise held its thirteenth sector expert roundtable to discuss the best solutions for improving industrial policy and trade. Roundtable participants were asked to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current policy efforts and to propose actions they think should be prioritized as a means to improve industrial policy and trade.

1. Industrial Policy
and Trade
Research Ideas
Port-au-Prince
March 2016

2. Working with 30-50 economists including Nobel Laureates, 100+ sector experts,
government, donor organizations, civil society, development agencies, businesses,
youth, across rural and urban areas to identify, analyze and prioritize interventions
that will deliver greater benefit per gourde spent, helping move Haiti towards a
more prosperous long term future.

3. Copenhagen Consensus
Center organized roundtable
discussions with an aim to
figure out smarter solutions to
the most problematic issues
facing Haiti.
These roundtables are
one of several sources
for research ideas.

4. Research Ideas

5. Agro-Industry;
(1 of 6)
• Adopt an industrial and trade policy focusing on a
strategy to substitute imports.
• Substantial increase of all tariffs on imported
agricultural products, within the limits set by the
CARICOM.
• Establishment of vocational schools in agricultural
areas.
• Identification of crops that have comparative
advantages in the global marketplace.
• Public and private investment in research:
• To expand the agricultural area;
• To move away from subsistence farming.

6. Agro-Industry;
(2 of 6)
• Creating a regulating institution for the microfinance
sector.
• Research fruits, foods and vegetables that have a higher
return for a specific area in order to make small
producers more competitive.
• Require import licenses in collaboration with the MCI:
• Increase tariff barriers that have been reduced or removed;
• Enhance local production;
• Set up mechanisms that protect start-ups;
• Establish an import substitution compared to imported
products (for example Dominican agricultural products and
American rice).

7. Agro-Industry;
(3 of 6)
• Special protection for these sectors: rice, coffee, peanuts and
cashews:
• Protection of defined zones;
• Subsidies for farmers;
• Tax credits;
• Farmers cooperatives (mutual);
• Participatory financing from the diaspora – including a guarantee
on investment.
• Research complementary cultures that promote subsistence
agriculture which is more competitive.
• Reduce bank interest rates for local firms to make them more
competitive in tenders.
• Create a quality control office to certify and control the
quality of imported goods and exports.

8. Agro-Industry;
(4 of 6)
• Protect, restore and make agricultural production zones
more accessible.
• Create a quality control laboratory in the areas of
agricultural production.
• Shared costs of production and processing:
• Creation of agricultural product processing plants;
• Subsidize inputs;
• Diversify agricultural production;
• Training for actors.
• Form a bilateral partnership with the Bahamas.
• Create and export promotion agency.

9. Agro-Industry;
(5 of 6)
• Improve the regularity of agricultural supplies which is
seasonable and marked by a lack of conservation
mechanisms:
• Reorganize the market;
• Create factories or product conservation centers (freezers,
warehouses etc.);
• Develop small scale processing;
• Enhance product quality by setting standards and applying the
precautionary principle;
• Improve accessibility in the country by investing in the
development of road infrastructure;
• Reduce the volume of imported products:
• High port control through customs;
• iRequirement of import licenses.

10. Agro-Industry;
(6 of 6)
• Establish standards for agricultural products.
• Create 5 special agricultural zones in sectors deemed
advantageous:
• Sharing of costs;
• Processing plant;
• Export promotion.

11. Internal Trade and the stabilization of
local markets;
(1 of 2)
• The adoption of an aggressive internal policy:
• Formation of cooperatives;
• Subsidize cooperatives.
• Create a single point at MCI for entrepreneurship.
• Develop an industrial micro-park and shared use
among operators.
• Formalize the creation of types of adaptive businesses
that responds to reality (eg. A type of business formed
by 10 small producers).
• Develop a legal framework for semi-public companies.
• Launch an awareness campaign for local products.

12. Internal Trade and the stabilization of
local markets;
(2 of 2)
• Develop off-season producers by strengthening
“Mandan Sara”.
• Provide tax incentives, fixed interest rates and credit
access.
• Establish a business protection agency.

13. External Trade;
(1 of 2)
• Strengthen the CFI's ability to attract direct investment
from the diaspora.
• Strengthening Foreign Trade Directorate of MCI and
establish a permanent contact with the WTO
representative.
• Establish a certificate for organic products.
• Redo the Haitian-Dominican dual commission,
including a commercial agreement signing, ratifying
and exchange.
• Combat smuggling and corruption in the regulation of
bilateral trade.
• Create a packing and marking center.

14. External Trade;
(2 of 2)
• Improve the value of the brand “Made in Haiti”: exotic,
organic, natural etc.

15. For more information www.HaitiPriorise.com