OREANDA-NEWS. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) today announced it has approved a $15 million grant for a sustainable artisan-fishing development project in southern Haiti. 

Fishing is a key socioeconomic sector in Haiti, generating some 77,000 full-time jobs (52,000 direct and 25,000 indirect positions). Artisan fishing still remains the predominant type of marine fishing in the country and takes place in 420 localities in 9 of the 10 departments. 

The project seeks to improve artisan fishermen’s productivity and income in the Grand’Anse, Sud and Sud-Est departments by providing improved public services for the fishing sector. These are the most productive departments in terms of fishing and house most of the fishing localities, which has made them a key priority for the government. Additionally, institution-strengthening and capacity-generation activities will benefit all fishing communities in the country. 

The new grant complements other financing sources for the projects, including a $2.7 million grant from the Spanish Cooperation Agency for International Development (AECID) and $1.5 million in local funding. 

The IDB is Haiti’s largest multilateral donor. In the past four years it has provided $1.263 billion in grants and disbursed more than $686 million to support the country’s economic recovery and its long-term development investment in areas such as agriculture, water and sanitation, transportation, energy, education and private sector development.

The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source oflong-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean.The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.