Réseau National des Centres Ruraux de Développement Durable (RN-CRDD)
The Réseau National des Centres Ruraux de Développement Durable (RN-CRDD) is a network of 5 research and training institutions, whose mission is to improve farmers’ living conditions through the provision of extension service, applied research, the enablement of access to innovative agricultural technologies, and market linkages. Each CRDD is a unique entity managed differently and designed to respond to the specific needs of the communities where there are installed. The majority of the CRDDs are built on a multi-stakeholder involvement approach in order in to promote a more diverse stakeholder participation in the development of the activities of the centers.
Since their foundation, the CRDDs, covering a broad area of expertise in terms of agricultural development, have been working jointly to improve the performance of the agricultural sector in their respective area of interventions. Besides conducting on-farm research and providing laboratory services related to soil testing and plant diagnosis and other agricultural extension related services like training and capacity building, the CRDDs are working on food processing environmental services through watershed management (tree planting and reforestation, protection of biodiversity, installation of soil conservation structures and greenhouse farming), livestock market, and financial linkages. They have developed a long tradition of supporting Producers’ organizations (POs) and mall rural enterprise to bring sustainable and positive socio-economic change to their communities. They have been partnered with local and international institutions de deliver adapted technologies to farmers.
The creation of the RN-CRDD is vital strategy to improve the governance, to support the operationalization and the de development of research action in Haiti. By creating a pool of human, material and immaterial resources, the RN-CRDD will empower its members, the CRDDs toward the accomplishments of their missions which mainly consist of transferring knowledge and crop resilient technologies to farmers to boost farms’ productivity and strengthen the resilience of communities through a significant increase of farm income. More importantly, by creating a synergy among local and international actors including NGOs, donors, private sector, universities and government agencies, the RN-CRDD will be an important platform to advocate for more investment in agricultural research, innovation and the development of agricultural program in Haiti. The RN-CRDD will support the newly installed CRDDs in the implementation of development projects, in the development of research programs, in the search of funding and in the area of institutional strengthening. Together, the CRDDs will be able to organize events (organization of seminars, conferences, etc.) on the issues of sustainable development in Haiti. More importantly, through the RN-CRDD, the CRDDs will be able to share expertise and strengthen the capability of the CRDDs in the execution of sustainable program development, in terms of governance and financial management of funded projects.