Maps for Gaps: A Geospatial Approach to Estimating Development Gaps in Haiti
Summary — This paper presents a geospatial analysis of development gaps in Haiti, identifying 16 sectoral gaps and their overlaps. The analysis reveals that transportation, early childhood education, and crime/insecurity are the most significant gaps, with the Nord-Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre departments being particularly affected.
Key Findings
- Transportation, early childhood education, and crime/insecurity are the most widespread sectoral gaps.
- 24% of Haiti's area and 9.9% of its population are affected by nine or more overlapping gaps.
- Nord-Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre departments are particularly affected by multiple overlapping gaps.
- Crime and insecurity gaps often overlap with gaps in early childhood education and employment opportunities.
- Areas with economic diversification gaps are often agricultural areas with limited access to financial services or transportation.
Full Description
This paper uses a geospatial approach to analyze development gaps in Haiti. It identifies and characterizes 16 sectoral gaps using qualitative and quantitative techniques, including macroeconomic, microeconomic, and geospatial data analyses. The study finds that transportation, early childhood education, and crime and insecurity gaps are the most significant in terms of area and population affected. Furthermore, it highlights that a significant portion of the country's area and population are affected by multiple overlapping gaps, particularly in the Nord-Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre departments. The paper concludes with policy recommendations, including coordinating security interventions with education and labor market components, promoting agricultural sector interventions with finance components, and investing in resilient infrastructure.