Programmatic Environmental Assessment - Support for Agricultural Potential Development in the North for Economic and Environmental Security (AVANSE)

The assessment was prepared under USAID/Haiti rules (22 CFR 216) for AVANSE, a five-year, multi-sectoral project implemented by DAI to raise agricultural incomes in Haiti's Northern Corridor. It has four intermediate results: agricultural productivity, watershed stability, agricultural markets and partner capacity. The report checks the environmental effects of all activities except those under a categorical exclusion, adds up the combined effect of many small interventions in each watershed and sets threshold decisions. It describes the affected environment and key biodiversity areas, then goes watershed by watershed, covering Jassa, Trou du Nord, Grande Riviere du Nord, Haut du Cap and Limbe, with cacao extension zones at Port Margot and Borgne. Irrigated perimeters, drainage works and cumulative impact tables are given for each. It compares the original proposed action, a focused activity package and no action, and recommends the focused package, with annexes on threatened species.