Boucle Centre Artibonite (English Version)

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE
DAJABON
DONDON OUANAMINTHE
ENNERY
SAINT
GONAÏVES RAPHAEL
SAINT
MICHEL
PIGNON
L’ESTERE
RESTAURACION
DESDUNES
MARCHAND
DESSALINES
PONT
SONDE
MAISSADE
HINCHE
SAINT MARC
PETITE
RIVIERE THOMASSIQUE
BOUCAN THOMONDE
DESARMES CARRÉ
LA CHAPELLE BELLADERE
MIREBALAIS
ELIAS
SAUT D’EAU LASCAHOBAS PINA
PORT AU PRINCE
HAITI TOMORROW
THE CENTER-ARTIBONITE LOOP
TERRITORIAL GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR RECONSTRUCTION
GOVERNMENT OF HAITI
Inter-Ministerial Committee For Territorial Development
CIAT
NOVEMBER 2010
The Center-Artibonite Loop project proposal
represents the configuration, over time, of a space
HAITI TOMORROW
conceived as an organic whole, built around a THE CENTER-ARTIBONITE LOOP
backbone network of roads designed to provide the
region with a strong structure.
It presents a concrete example for regional planning
that is designed to integrate economic development,
each one inducing the other, each leading to the
TABLE OF CONTENTS
other. This model structures Haitian territory. INTRODUCTION p. 5
Once implemented, the Center-Artibonite loop
will become a reference for Haiti, tomorrow. 1. THE ROAD p. 7
- Networked cities
- Half an hour to the city
- Types of roads to be developed
- Actions being implemented and
actions to be undertaken
- Management and financing of roads
2. THE LAND p. 21
- An emblematic region
- Vulnerability of the environment
- Land use
- The structure of agricultural production
- Irrigation and drinking water
- Energy production and supply
- Modernizing agriculture and developing processing
industries
3. THE PEOPLE p. 37
- Population distribution and land ownership
- Roads with two speeds
- Hygiene and waste management
- Healthcare networks
- Education and vocational training
- Transport hubs and community life centers
4. THE PROJECTS p. 53
- Community development
- Mirebalais
- Thomonde
- Hinche
- Pignon
- Maïssade
- Saint-Raphaël
- Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye
- Marchand-Dessalines
- Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite
- Verrettes
- La Chapelle
- Boucan Carré
- Lascahobas
- Saut d’Eau
- Planned investments
- Governance
ROUTE DE MIREBALAIS À THOMONDE

2 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P 3
INTRODUCTION
The Republic of Haiti is characterized by wide The earthquake of January 12, 2010, brought us a
ecological and climatic diversity, both due to its painful reminder that the Caribbean is an area with
geographic location and its inherent characteristics, intense seismic activity and that the most threatened
especially its hilly terrain and a lengthy coastline regions are the South, crossed by the Enriquillo
(more than 1,000 km out of a total surface area of fault line, and the North, by the Northern fault line.
28,000 km2). These characteristics make it naturally With the coasts being threatened with flooding,
fragile: it is located in an area of high seismic the South regularly ravaged by hurricanes, and
activity, lies on the path of hurricanes, and the risks the southern peninsula and far north threatened
of flooding are as great as those of drought. This by earthquakes, the Center and Artibonite region
natural fragility is heightened by a socioeconomic constitutes a propitious area for focusing public
precariousness that manifests itself in an inability investments over the next ten years, contingent on a
to organize the land and the difficulty, if not the new logic of land use.
impossibility, of deploying responses in equal
proportion to the risks. At present, it is imperative that there be changes
in how Haiti’s territory is organized and equipped.
Recent years have been marked by a dramatic Rethinking the territory must be coupled with the
aggravation of the country’s physical and human need to make decentralization a reality, and a means
vulnerability. In May 2004, a few hours of for land use management.
exceptionally heavy rains wiped out the hamlet
of Fonds Verrettes and the village of Mapou. In As a follow-up to the project proposal, «Haiti
September 2004, Hurricane Jeanne caused more Tomorrow», which offered general ideas for
than 5,000 deaths, most of them in the city of the entire territory, the Center-Artibonite Loop
Gonaïves. In 2008, hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna projects over time a space conceived of as an
and Ike caused fewer casualties, but the damage to organic whole, built around a backbone network of
infrastructure and homes was substantial. roads designed to provide the region with a strong
structure. Meetings with the populations involved,
The message from Mother Nature is clear: the accompanied by discussions with government
coastal areas, especially cities with high population authorities and civil society, have allowed us to
density downstream from degraded watersheds, are improve on the technicians’ proposals and include
threatened. the thoughts and desires of those who will sustain
the life of the loop in reality.
Droughts have been less spectacular, but ten major
droughts were recorded between 1968 and 2000, The Center-Artibonite Loop project proposal
affecting more than 1.5 million people. Climate presents a concrete example for regional planning
change is a worry the world over. that is designed to integrate economic development,
each one inducing the other, each leading to the
According to experts, climate change in Haiti may other. This is a model for structuring Haitian
take the form of a noticeable increase in the volume territory. Once implemented, the Center-Artibonite
of precipitation, and thus greater risks for all of the loop will constitute a reference for Haiti, tomorrow.
cities along the coasts or those at the mouth of
valleys with major rivers.
4 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P INTRODUCTION 5

THE ROAD
1.
Throughout the 20th century, Haiti had the
endlessly repeated experience of seeing roads
built for millions of dollars, increasing the
country’s external debt without leading to
regional or national development.
The Center-Artibonite loop is designed to

depart from the linear thinking of a road
as inherently generating development and
modernization and replace it with a road
seen as the backbone of an economic and
social development plan to be set in motion.
The Center-Artibonite loop has been desig-

ned as a territorial entity given structure by
a road that connects, in an organic manner,
two historically differentiated zones (the
French Artibonite and the Spanish Center),
each with its own character. The Artibonite
has had decades of investment in agricul-
tural infrastructure and is focused on the
cities of Gonaïves and Saint-Marc, while the
Center has been inwardly focused, with the
Dominican Republic being a much closer
counterpart than Port-au-Prince.
Completing the existing network of roads

that interconnects the 14 communities on
the loop would serve to overcome historical
obstacles, to create a new economic and
societal zone and to offer a life-size model
for developing Haitian territory.
6 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 7

The coastal cities highway
and the Center-Artibonite loop
Port De Paix
Môle
Saint Nicolas
Cap Haitien
Fort Liberte
Limbe
Dajabon
Dondon Ouanaminthe
Ennery
SAINT RAPHAEL
Gonaïves SAINT MICHEL DE
L’ATTALAYE
PIGNON
Lestère Restauracion
Desdunes
MARCHAND
DESSALINES
Pont Sondé
MAISSADE HINCHE
Saint Marc PETITE RIVIERE
DE L’ARTIBONITE
Thomassique
THOMONDE
DESARMES
(VERRETTES)
BOUCAN CARRE
Elias Piña
LA CHAPELLE Belladere
MIREBALAIS
REPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE
SAUT D’EAU LASCAHOBAS
Jeremie
Leogâne
Jimani
PORT AU PRINCE
Petit Goâve
Miragoâne Grand Goâve
Jacmel
Les Cayes
0 10 50km

Cap Haïtien
Limbe
NETWORKED CITIES
Fort Liberte
From rural towns living off the hinterland to easily accessible cities
set up in networks: a pre-requisite for creating an alternative to
Dondon OUANAMINTHE increased population density in major city centers.
GONAÏVES Ennery
SAINT During recent history, these lands of the Artibonite after the trauma of the earthquake. The circular city is a
RAPHAEL have been Haiti’s pride and joy as this dry valley was territorial development model that combines a network
transformed into a rich plain for rice cultivation between of cities with agricultural lands. Comparing it to Holland’s
SAINT 1930 and 1986. The wide open space of the Central «Randstad» or Tuscany’s «la Città continuata», the idea
MICHEL DE
L’ATTALAYE Plateau, sparsely populated and barely urbanized, has is not to look for references in European models of
always had value, in Haitians’ eyes, as virgin territories development, but rather to highlight similarities of scale
L’estere
PIGNON with great potential. During the 19th and early 20th and urban systems. The strong points in these economic
Desdunes
century, the destruction of a second-growth forest paved regions are their broad agricultural lands, cities set up in
the way for the development of a peasant agriculture rings and openings to the sea via the port cities.
producing staple crops and providing a means of living
MARCHAND
DESSALINES for a sparse rural population. Its economic importance A perimeter of 180 km for 7.5 million inhabitants in
gradually dwindled due to a nationwide regression that the Netherlands, 350 km for 3.6 million inhabitants in
followed the decline of an agricultural system which Tuscany, and 240 km for a potential 2 million inhabitants
MAISSADE
HINCHE became open to world markets and no longer able to in Haiti provide scales for comparisons between similar
Pont Sonde
maintain the fertility of its soils. models. These derive their culture and their potential
Liancourt
PETITE RIVIERE
DE L’ARTIBONITE
from the specific features of their geography. Without
SAINT MARC
Except for Mirebalais, Petite-Rivière and Verrettes, all of seeking further analogies, the idea developed for Haiti
Thomassique the towns and cities that now make up the area we call consists of imagining an economic and urban alternative
VERRETTES the Center-Artibonite loop, came into being after Haiti’s to the disorderly proliferation of major cities.
THOMONDE
independence in 1804. They were erected according to
the colonial, checkerboard model, even if this model This «urban network», if well-organized and connected
DESARMES shows signs of disappearing amidst building carried out to the port cities of Saint-Marc and Gonaïves to the
BOUCAN CARRE
willy-nilly, with no master plan. west, to Cap-Haïtien in the north and Port-au-Prince in
Elias
the south, and to the Dominican Republic on the east,
Pina In a new era, these areas can regain their due by drawing could become a potent template for development:
LA CHAPELLE on existing values. For this to occur, one must create - By building a favorable environment for financial
conditions that allow for the deployment of a system investments, and especially for the development of
LASCAHOBAS BELLADERE
SAUT D’EAU
MIREBALAIS founded on social equality and sharing, based on agribusiness activities that complement local agricultural
the complementary nature of cities and agricultural production;
products, on the creation and management of an - By careful planning and giving priority to rapid means
effective transportation network, and the sharing of of getting agricultural products to market;
services and facilities. - By offering the inhabitants adequate living conditions
and basic facilities with a balanced allotment between the
0 10 20 km This construction project could become the basic model rural world and the urban world that provides services
for regional development in Haiti and provide additional and employment.
ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES guidance for reconstruction efforts in Port-au-Prince
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TERRITORY

The Center-Artibonite loop covers 14 municipalities located in 3 provinces («departments»): the Artibonite, the Center and the North. The
urban centers of ten of these municipalities are on the loop itself, while four municipalities: Boucan Carré, Lascahobas and Saut-d’Eau
- opening onto Mirebalais, and Maïssade half-way between Hinche and Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, occupy the interior zone. 1.2 million
people inhabit this zone of 4,634 km2, resulting in an average density of 2.6 inhabitants per hectare.
The sociological structure of this entity is a highly-dispersed, essentially agricultural population. This is the direct result of how land was
distributed between the jolts of the French Revolution and the agrarian politics of the independent country at the end of the 18th century
and the first quarter of the 19th century. Only 23% of the population (222,000 inhabitants) live in «urban centers», or «urban sectors»
of each of the municipalities, with an average density of 70 inhabitants per hectare.
However, these centers do not represent what one expects to find in a city. The basic functions, water and electricity, and even more so, a
minimum of sanitary conditions, are not available everywhere and facilities and services are embryonic and not well organized.
This is the great challenge of a project based on a triple approach:

- Creating a reliable and efficient set of links by road, thus generating a community of practices between the cities; THE ARTIBONITE CENTER - HAITI RANDSTAD - THE NETHERLANDS TUSCANY - ITALY
- Improving services in each of the cities in question; 2 million inhabitants 7.5 million inhabitants 3.6 million inhabitants
- Building, on existing conditions, a network of shared facilities designed to fit the scale of the entire loop. 240 km 180 km 350 km

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE HALF AN HOUR TO THE CITY
A «sequentially segmented» loop to reduce travel time,
DAJABON facilitate the movement of goods and people, and to
DONDON
OUANAMINTHE
efficiently distribute shared facilities.
ENNERY
GONAÏVES SAINT
SAINT
RAPHAEL
Ten equidistant urban centers Networks, routings and transport hubs
MICHEL DE
L’ATTALAYE
The ten urban centers within the circuit are laid out in a IIn Haiti, roads have several functions: as a place for
PIGNON
nearly uniform fashion, hedging the principle for the two travel, a place for socializing and a place of business. In
L’ESTERE
RESTAURACION
linking segments between Mirebalais and Thomonde, addition, transporting people is almost always combined
DESDUNES
and from Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye to Marchand- with transporting goods, without any concern for
REPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE
MARCHAND Dessalines, that are more mountainous and sparsely efficiency or time management.
DESSALINES
populated. The same goes for Maïssade and Boucan
PONT
MAISSADE Carré inside the loop. Within an economic development plan that introduces
SONDE
processing industries, and where secondary, tertiary and
HINCHE
SAINT MARC
PETITE RIVIERE
DE L’ARTIBONITE
The average distance between these endpoints is 24 km, a services jobs will be added to agricultural and commercial
distance close to the design principle behind the historic types of employment, rational use of the roadways and a
THOMASSIQUE
«county seats», purportedly reachable in a day’s ride on segregation of the means of transportation will become
THOMONDE
horseback. In the current situation, using a conventional a necessity.
DESARMES average driving speed of 50 km/hr. for modern paved
BOUCAN CARRÉ
roads in Haiti, each city will potentially be linked to the By design, the circuit is the ideal place to institute a
next by a travel time of half an hour. «sequentially-ordered» network of mass transportation.
BELLADERE
LA CHAPELLE Thus, on the hour or half-hour, buses could leave each
MIREBALAIS ELIAS
Public transportation systems that provide of the cities, instituting here and there new practices and
PINA
SAUT D’EAU LASCAHOBAS new habits.
structure
However, this network should not necessarily be designed
Development of the highway system will substantially as a circular network. It would seem more worthwhile
change the travel time between urban centers that are to include links in the system of transportation to the
20 km currently equidistant but poorly serviced. This simple coastal cities (Cap-Haïtien, Les Gonaïves, Saint-Marc,
fact will bring about a major transformation in relations Port-au-Prince), as well as to Belladère and Elias Pina (in
PORT AU PRINCE
between inhabitants of these cities. the Dominican Republic).
It might seem paradoxical to introduce time schedules Three «tangential» routings: from Gonaïves and Saint-
in a land where the very notion of time seems to have Marc to Belladère, from Saint-Marc to Cap Haïtien and
THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
been banished long ago, but this is nevertheless the key from Port-au-Prince to Cap Haïtien would thus service
initial assumption in building the theoretical models for the entire loop.
PAP-CH Line via the Central Plateau (RN3)
economic and social organization of the territory.
Saint Marc - Cap Haïtien Line
Artibonite - Dominican Republic Line
These routings establish three major junction-points:
Easily accessible cities Mirebalais, Saint-Raphaël and Petite Rivière de
Center - Artibonite Loop
l’Artibonite. Account should be taken of their special
The notion of a «city a half-hour away» will serve as a role on the circuit in order to plan for greater economic
framework for organizing basic services. The first-level development and larger population in-flows than in
facilities (major hospitals or universities) will be laid out the other nodal cities. They will thus require earlier
based on other placement criteria without being more installations of facilities and planning for more rapid
than an hour and a half ’s travel from any point on the urban expansion.
circuit.
This basic framework will be complemented by a
network of highly-efficient «trunk lines» and by the farm The Loop
roads that penetrate further into the hinterland. These Perimeter 240 km
radial arteries will define the location of connecting Potential Population 2 million inhabitants
nodes located in the central cities or between them. Transit Speed 50 km/h
Stages 10 cities averaging 26
km/30 min apart
Strategic Junctions 10
A dense network of farm roads

On a national scale, Haiti’s intercity highway network is centers and provides links between the national highways.
categorized at three levels: Most of this network is unpaved.
- the backbone network, , made up of the national - the tertiary network, comprised of local access roads
highways that interconnect the capitals of the ten
provinces and which comprise the main national travel
that play a key economic and social role, especially for
agriculture. This network is comprised of unpaved roads TYPES OF ROADS TO BE DEVELOPED
itineraries. It should be possible to travel on this network and has almost no bridges or culverts.
at a moderate speed (i.e. 60-80 km/hr.), with maximum The three types of road networks have been defined Priority-ranked roads that are reliable and suited to urban
safety and comfort. within the Center-Artibonite loop and each will receive conditions and to the movement of agricultural products constitute
- the secondary network, which services large urban improvements specific to its category. a network that is favorable to social and economic development
Highway 7 m wide, equipped with ditches, bridges/culverts and pedestrian

and animal walkways on both sides, only one side or neither side, depending The Backbone Network:
on whether it is on a plateau, a plain or the side of a mountain Routing of the loop
The key role played by the loop itself in structuring

the territory justifies integrating it as a whole within
the backbone network.
Highway 6 m wide, equipped with ditches and bridges/culverts A SECONDARY ROUTE :

The Ennery/Thomassique diagonal
The Ennery/Thomassique diagonal provides direct
access to the Dominican Republic and is a key farm-
to-market route for the farmlands of the Central
Plateau. It may be considered a secondary route and
treated as such. The same holds for the access roads
to Boucan-Carré and Saut-d’Eau.
Highway 5.5 m wide, equipped with ditches and bridges/culverts THE TERTIARY NETWORK :
The farm roads
These are farm-to-market routes that serve to
move the population groups dispersed throughout
the hinterland of the loop and to transport farm
products to small rural centers, towns and cities.
This is a very dense network: more than 1,500 km

of unpaved roads and dirt tracks with 180 river
crossings on foot that are disrupted during the
rainy season. A specific set of farm roads has been
identified and will have development operations
devoted to it.

BANQUE MONDIALE
CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE FORT LIBERTE
ACTIONS BEING IMPLEMENTED/ACTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN

FED 2013
OUANAMINTHE The Center-Artibonite loop is 240 km in length. A Completing the loop and the backbone
number of highway projects undertaken in recent network
DONDON years lead us to believe that the loop could become
a reality quite quickly. Classifying the loop as a primary network has a limited
MARMELADE
GONAÏVES SAINT effect in terms of financing since, given the new work
ENNERY RAPHAEL
The current status of the Port-au-Prince/Cap-Haïtien already scheduled, only 80 km (one-third of the loop)
corridor via Hinche (RN3) is as follows: still need to be funded. This is the segment linking Saint-
SAINT
- The segment between Port-au-Prince and Mirebalais is Raphael to Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, by way of
MICHEL DE already in service; Saint-Michel and Marchand-Dessalines. This schedule
L’ATTALAYE
- The Mirebalais / Hinche / Pignon / Saint-Raphael of works will include a major structure for crossing the
segment will be a new highway with a width of 9 m; Artibonite river at Petite Rivière and connecting up to
L’ESTERE PIGNON - The Saint-Raphael / Cap-Haïtien segment will also be the Pont Sondé -Mirebalais road.
DESDUNES completed in 2013 and will include a detour to avoid The investment required for the missing segments is
passing through the area of the Citadelle / Sans-Souci / estimated to be US$74.5 million.
MARCHAND AFD 2013
Ramiers Historic National Park, classified as a UNESCO
DESSALINES World Heritage Site. Linking the loop to nearby cities and to
The work undertaken on this route will provide a
tremendous improvement in the primary network by the Dominican Republic
MAISSADE HINCHE
2013.
To the east, the road from Mirebalais to Belladère and Those projects still to be developed concern upgrading
PONT PETITE RIVIERE
SONDE DE L’ARTIBONITE the Dominican Republic will be constructed in 2013. the links to the east (Hinche-Pedro Santana, estimated
SAINT MARC
LIANCOURT On the East/West axis, the existing highway between to cost US$26 million, and Pignon-Ouanaminthe,
Mirebalais and Pont Sondé is of satisfactory quality but estimated at US$44 million), as well as the junction
THOMASSIQUE
VERRETTES requires periodic upkeep. between Hinche – Maïssade – Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye
THOMONDE
(US$30 million), which plays a fundamental role for the
In contrast, in the north and west of the Central Plateau, area located inside the loop.
DESARMES
the segment of the loop that connects Saint-Raphaël,
BOUCAN CARRE Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, Marchand-Dessalines and Improving the network of farm roads
FER FED 2011 Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite is currently unpaved and
ELIAS
PINA
has few bridges/culverts. Proposing a network of 800 km of farm roads in good
LA CHAPELLE
condition may seem rather ambitious given current
On the secondary network, construction work between conditions. However, in light of the goal set for
LASCAHOBAS
MIREBALAIS
BELLADERE
Marchand-Dessalines and l’Estère is under way and will economic development and the population distribution
road in works SAUT D’EAU be completed in 2011. The road between Saut d’Eau throughout the area, this objective does not seem to
road has to renew FED 2014 and Cabaret is nearly finished, except for a few bridges/ be overblown. Many farm roads are currently in poor
road has to finance culverts. condition and river crossings that are unusable after
heavy rains frequently cut off most of these roads
road in project
Lastly, among the links planned for the highway network, during the rainy season.
realized road FED 2010
some are currently in very poor condition: the road from Deployment of this network will involve substantial
Saint-Michel to Ennery, which continues on as NH1 construction work over approximately 520 km of dirt
0 10 20km roads and upgrading of 280 km already identified in the
to Gonaïves, is a mere dirt road with numerous fords.
The same holds for the Hinche / Thomassique / Pedro classification of the MTPTC [Ministry of Public Works].
Santana and Pignon / Ouanaminthe routes. The cost of this work on the secondary network can be
estimated as US$360 million.
1/1/The
Thebackbone
backbone network
network of
of the
theCenter-Artibonite
Center-Artiboniteloop
loop
Section Distance Funding Commissioning 2/2/Linking
Linking the
the loop to nearby
nearbycities
citiesand to to
and thethe
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Mirebalais / Thomonde 35.3 km European Development Fund (FED) 2011
Junction Distance Funding Commissioning
Thomonde / Hinche 20.6 km European Development Fund (FED) 2011
Mirebalais / Dominican Republic via 22.8 km Centre National de l'Equipement 2013
Hinche / Pignon 29.5 km Agence Française de Développement 2013
Lascahobas 42.0 km European Development Fund (FED) 2014
Pignon / Saint-Raphaël 16.0 km Agence Française de Développement 2013 Saint-Raphaël / Cap Haïtien via Barrière 30.2 km European Development Fund 2013
Saint-Raphaël / Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye 21.6 km US$15,300,000 financing needed Batant 16.6 km (FED)/World Bank
Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye / Marchand-Dessalines 38.9 km US$38,000,000 financing needed Mirebalais / Port-au-Prince 60.9 km European Development Fund (FED) 2010
Marchand-Dessalines / Petite Rivière de 20.2 km US$21,000,000 financing needed
Marchand-Dessalines / L’Estère 12.0 km Agence Française de Développement 2011
l’Artibonite
Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite / Désarmes 21.6 km Fonds d’Entretien Routier Saut-d’Eau / Cabaret 32.5 km Centre National de l'Equipement 2010
[Highway Maintenance Fund] Hinche / Dominican Republic via 25.7 km US$25,900,000 financing needed
Désarmes / La Chapelle 13.5 km Fonds d’Entretien Routier Thomassique 16.0 km
[Highway Maintenance Fund] Pignon / Ouanaminthe via La Victoire, Mont 9.9 km US$44,000,000 financing needed
La Chapelle / Mirebalais 27.6 km Fonds d’Entretien Routier Organisé and Baptiste 43.0 km
[Highway Maintenance Fund] 18.1 km
TOTAL 244.8 km US$74,500,000 financing needed Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye / Ennery 25.9 km Financing needed

16Pg/17 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 17
MANAGEMENT AND FINANCING OF ROADS
In rebuilding Haiti, roads are an inherent economic sector and not
an isolated intervention from outside.
Highway maintenance, a nationwide In the present context of Haiti, a realistic system for road could conceive of setting up 5 maintenance centers
problem maintenance has thus to be designed. Road maintenance at Mirebalais, Hinche, Saint Raphael, Saint Michel de
tasks can be broken down into two categories: l’Attalaye and Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite.
In Haiti, the effects of tropical rainfalls are aggravated - roadbed work, a very manual-labor intensive activity
by steep slopes and deforestation. Runoff causes various that requires little equipment and basically involves the
areas adjacent to and supporting the road: shoulders, The emergence of a true public works
types of erosion, which weaken the infrastructure, private sector
not to mention the risk of destruction of highways drainage ditches and structures, banks, etc.
- work that requires mechanical means (leveling surfaces,
and dirt roads due to the substantial increase in river filling in pot-holes and cracks, etc.) It would be helpful to have a network of companies
flows. In addition, the lack of bridges/culverts makes emerge in Haiti that would reinforce the capacity for
travel highly unpredictable during the rainy season. These tasks may be performed by various types of building and maintaining the system of roads. To achieve
agents: this, a number of conditions must be met:
For these reasons, the road system is generally in - roadbed work may be done by public works - the companies must be able to plan their business
poor condition. This naturally has a negative effect on departments, or by community-based organizations ahead over several years for the purposes of investment
the quality of service, but also calls into question the (CBO), or by small businesses in conjunction with the and hiring. This need for forecasting requires that
value of continuing to build infrastructure with a very CASECs [local government] and town administrations. government contracting authorities establish a reliable
short lifespan in the absence of adequate maintenance. - since it requires equipment, periodic maintenance may schedule for new work and maintenance work.
be done by public works departments (via maintenance
Despite the establishment in 2003 of the Fonds centers and a fleet of machinery) or by businesses in - the business of public works depends on a certain
conjunction with the town administrations; financial stability, whether for purchasing or renting
d’Entretien Routier (FER) [Highway Maintenance - major repairs are entrusted to large highway companies equipment, or for obtaining the financial backing
Fund], a functioning plan for highway maintenance in conjunction with the MTPTC. demanded by the contracting authority. The banking
has never been implemented, and thus, ironically, sector thus has a major role to play in the development
the funding received is never fully used. For work involving high labor intensive tasks (HIMO), of this sector.
We believe that the first priority should be to set such as roadbed work, the Community Based
up on-going, preventive highway maintenance, Organizations constitute a credible alternative. These - lastly, it is essential that a training system be included if
whereas the normal practice at present consists associations of communities along the roads can take on one wants to set up a sector that is truly well managed.
of corrective maintenance and heavy repairs. common maintenance tasks and are easy to mobilize in This aspect is critical in order to ensure that new work
The Center-Artibonite loop project cannot go Haiti since this HIMO aspect creates jobs and provides is of high quality and maintenance work on the road
forward without a truly effective system of road income for those who live nearby. network is efficient. It should be noted that part of
maintenance. In fact, beyond the construction of the personnel training could be provided at the actual
In addition, by involving neighbors in work for the public worksites.
new segments, the quality of the entire road network good, they learn to be accountable for problems related
depends on the proper upkeep of unpaved farm roads. to the maintenance and use of the roads. However,
recourse to the CBOs must not mean a trade-off in Investment in highway maintenance
Roads, a basis for economic activity terms of the quality of service. A minimum of training ensures sustainability of investments
and stability of the teams is necessary.
A road, both in its construction and its maintenance, For work requiring machinery, the lack of a well managed In order to ensure that investments are sustainable, it is
promotes job creation that normally benefits businesses private sector raises the question of keeping a certain important to include maintenance costs in their planning.
already in existence. amount of resources in the hands of the government or
For this reason, but also because of the failure of public regional administrations. The «National Plan for Highway Maintenance»
works departments set up in various countries, funding document, produced by the MTPTC in 2008, sets
agencies prefer to invest in the private sector. In addition, Given the unpredictable weather conditions, this option the annual maintenance cost for 1 km of highway at
may also prove useful for early repair of damage due to US$7,500 - 10,000.
working through businesses serves to clarify the roles of unforeseeable causes, or for emergency work. For this
contracting authority, general contracting and execution sort of system to be effective, there must be a minimum On this basis, annual maintenance for the backbone
of the work. Lastly, an efficient private sector allows for amount of equipment on hand in maintenance centers network of the Center-Artibonite region can be
greater flexibility of assistance operations. distributed along the loop. It is certainly not desirable estimated as US$1.9 million, and for the secondary
to design this system to maintain the entire network network as US$7.5 million for 800 km of farm roads.
However, the current situation in Haiti is characterized (backbone, secondary and tertiary), and the intended
by a lack of qualified public works companies. There are goal is to provide at least a minimum level of service.
few companies on a national scale and there are several
dozen small to medium-size companies that provide The equipment for these centers could serve to provide
upkeep or reconditioning. The latter are however poorly periodic maintenance for 200 km of roads (loader,
managed. Lastly, in terms of manual labor, there are grader, compactor, trucks).
micro-businesses that work with a limited number of Along these lines, and considering the density of the
employees with little training and very little equipment. system of roads (paved or unpaved surfaces), one

2.
THE LAND
The land in the loop is above all a series
of farmlands with different agricultural
production systems, all characterized by
their low profitability.
The primary-growth forest, dominated by

pines, disappeared some fifty years ago, as
did coffee farming, which now is almost
extinct on lands once famous for their
quality, especially in the Matheux mountain
range.
Transformation of this agricultural landscape

will involve modernizing agricultural
methods, adding value to agricultural
products and the creation of a non-
agricultural sector of the economy.
20 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 21

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE
AN EMBLEMATIC REGION
The scene of struggles for independence
SOUVENANCE PARC NATIONAL HISTORIQUE
DE LA CITADELLE and nation-building, the Center and the
DONDON
OUANAMINTHE
Artibonite are host to natural heritage,
FORT DES BAYONNAIS
historic and cultural sites that support
GONAÏVES
ENNERY SAINT
tourism, thus supplementing development
RAPHAEL
on the coast.
MASSIF DU NORD
PLACE DE
L’INDÉPENDANCE SAINT
MICHEL DE Natural heritage and noteworthy sites
L’ATTALAYE
BASSIN LAURENT
The Artibonite’s watershed offers a wide diversity of
PIGNON
L’ESTERE FORT landscapes and environments: from the Central Plateau
DESDUNES to the Artibonite river valley, from the hills to the plains,
FORT DÉCIDÉ from savannas to rice paddies. Some natural sites are
especially spectacular and deserve to be protected,
MARCHAND
DESSALINES improved and upgraded: the Bassin Zim in Hinche, the
SOUKRI
BASSIN ZIM
CORDILLERE Laurent basin in Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, the Saut
CENTRALE
MAISSADE
d’Eau waterfall, and the surroundings of Lake Péligre,
FORT
CRÊTE À PIERROT
HINCHE etc.
PONT
PETITE RIVIERE DE L’ARTIBONITE
SAINT MARC
SONDE
LIANCOURT PALAIS DES 365 PORTES
Historical Heritage
FORT
THOMASSIQUE The loop straddles two areas with noticeably different
VERRETTES
MONTAGNES NOIRES
pasts: in the West, the Artibonite province was once
THOMONDE part of the French colony of Saint Domingue, while
DESARMES the eastern part, in the Center province, was a Spanish
colony and became Haitian territory at the start of the
BOUCAN CARRE
LAC DE PELIGRE
19th century.
ELIAS
COTE DES ARCADINS

PINA The great battles leading to Haiti’s independence took
LA CHAPELLE VILLE MODERNE (1948)
CAFÉIÈRE DE DION
place in the west and northern parts of the loop, at
BELLADERE
sites such as Ravine à Couleuvre (February 1802), Crête
SAUT D’EAU
MIREBALAIS à Pierrot (March 1802), Vertière (November 1803).
The Loop CASCADE DE SAUT D’EAU
LASCAHOBAS Following independence, forts were built so that the
Historic sites young Haitian nation could fend off foreign invasions.
Natural sites This practice left major traces at Milot/Dondon (Citadelle
Religious sites Henry, the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Haiti),
as well as the forts at Saint-Marc, Bayonnais, Marchand
0 10 20km
Dessalines and those in the Matheux mountain range.
Moreover, it was in Gonaïves that independence was
proclaimed on 1st January 1804. The eastern part of
NATURAL HERITAGE the loop offers more recent structures as attractions: the
urbanization of Belladère (1948-1950) and the Péligre
dam (1956).
The Palace with 365 Doors in Petite Rivière de
l’Artibonite deserves to be renovated and could house a Celebration Mont-Carmel, Saut D’eau
media center and exhibits.
Bassin Zim Waterfall The Palace with 365 doors Entrance to the Citadelle Henry
Cultural Heritage hounsis from all over the country. Part of the natural
heritage (Bassin Zim) and the historical heritage (Citadelle
The loop is a rich religious area where the sanctuaries Henry) have undergone a religious reinterpretation and
of Souvenance (Gonaïves) and Soucri (Pont Sondé) been the object of rather intense rituals.
are emblematic of the grand «lacous» of the Artibonite
valley and every year draw a considerable crowd. Lodging capacity (bed and breakfasts, rural home stays,
small hotels) must be created in the loop in order to
Likewise, the Notre Dame du Mont Carmel celebration attract a tourist clientele which still prefers the beaches
in Saut d’Eau (July 16th) and the celebration of Saint- - even if the highway system would allow tourists from
Jacques in Plaine du Nord (July 25th) have given rise to a the Arcadins Coast and those who pass through the
pilgrimage that leaves from Ti Tanyen to finish in Plaine Labadie cruise-ship stopover to add a cultural dimension
du Nord: it is frequented by hougans, mambos and to their stay.

CAP HAÏTIEN
FORT LIBERTE
VULNERABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Work on the watersheds is an essential operation in the environmental
restoration of the country. It is an end in itself and, in the case of the Centre-
Artibonite loop, an activity with the scope of a global project. Forum des 17 et 18 juin 2010 à P
BASSIN DE LA GRANDE RIVIÈRE DU NORD
BASSIN DE LA QUINTE Mountains stripped of vegetation
SAINT
RAPHAEL At the center of the loop, in the Montagnes Noires, is
SAINT
MICHEL DE the drainage dividing line which separates the loop into
L’ATTALAYE two watersheds: that of the Estère on one side, and that
of the Artibonite on the other. The southern watersheds
of the Montagnes Noires and the Matheux range are dry
BASSIN DE L’ESTÈRE PIGNON and colonized by cactus and bayahondes. The northern
MARCHAND
watershed is wetter, has more inhabitants and is used for
DESSALINES growing a variety of food products.
Knowing that these spaces are almost totally deforested,
that they are used for grazing nearly all year round and
MAISSA
MAISSADE
SSADE
MAISSADE
that even charcoal is still produced there from wood, one
begins to understand the various types of erosion that
HINCHE
HIN threaten both the future Forum
of thesedes 17 et
mountain 18 juin
inhabitants 2010 à Port au Prince
and the fertile irrigated plains downstream. It is these
PETITE RIVIERE abusive practices that create a mortal danger for the
DE L’ARTIBONITE densely-populated cities located downstream. Photo credit : SOS Enfants sans Frontières and Zanmi Lasanté Paris
BASSIN DE L’ARTIBONITE /
VERRETTES PLATEAU CENTRAL Making actions in the loop sustainable
THOMONDE
So-called Soil Protection and Restoration actions have
DESARMES so far had little effect in Haiti. By proposing a new
approach to accompany the creation of a new economy,
LA CHA
CHAPEL
CHAPELLE
PELLE
PELLE one can achieve better water management in the loop.
BOUCAN
BOUCAN CA
CARRE
RRE We propose:
- preserving the dry forest of the windward watersheds
in the loop;
MIREBALAIS
- systematic protection, from upstream to downstream,
of all the ravines in the hydrographic system [see photos];
- the systematic building of water catchment structures
along roads, drainage courses and farm paths
Primary treatment area
for the watersheds
Photo credit : SOS Enfants sans Frontières and Zanmi Lasanté Paris
0 10 20km
WATERSHEDS
Watershed of the Estère
Watershed of the Artibonite

and the Central Plateau
Construction of a gabion retaining wall in Boucan Richard, Gros-Morne - Photo credit: SOS Enfants sans Frontières and Zanmi Lasanté Paris

LAND USE
As in most of the other regions of the county, the Center-Artibonite loop is characterized by
a dispersed rural habitat, a linear habitat along the roads and settlements with an urban
character.
Based on this fragmented physical and social reality, the project proposes to build the links
needed to facilitate daily activities and promote modernization of the countryside.
A DISPERSED RURAL HABITAT GATHERING POINTS URBAN CONSTELLATIONS: THE A METROPOLITAN NETWORK:
HAMLETS THE CENTER-ARTIBONITE LOOP
The Haitian hinterland is dominated by a minifundium Over time, and due to demographic growth, centers of The hamlets and towns, municipal seats, were constituted It is these towns and hamlets that make up the stages
(tiny peasant parcels of land) which, due to the rule activity have sprung up in the common areas (military before or after independence. They are gathering points of more or less organized trade circuits that shape the
of equal inheritance, have endlessly shrunk over the outpost, church or chapel, road, mill, market, school, for people coming in from the countryside in search system of commerce, trade and services for a so-called
generations. The habitat has followed the breaking up of etc.), leading to thickly-settled zones that the IHSI of services, chief among which are schools, water and «urbanized» population that accounts for 32.5% in the
lots, creating clouds of points of habitation that follow [Haitian Statistical Institute] has dubbed «localities» and electricity. This is the ideal place for business and trade, Artibonite and 16.3% in the Center.
simple patterns: floodplain-reclaimed sites, proximity to which are not taken into account in government land with local products tending to be supplanted everywhere These towns and villages are the starting points for
a water supply point, etc. use planning. by imports: wheat flour, imported rice, second-hand movements to other regions and the capital.
textiles, etc.
Agricultural production in this countryside is thus This is the first level for the exchange of agricultural Their demographic importance has grown over the years,
frequently characterized by hedge-bordered plots with products and for land use transformation. even if the loop has not experienced the astounding
tree crops around the houses. increase in urbanization seen in the western part of the
country.

CAP HAÏTIEN
AGRICULTURAL ZONES
AND GATHERING POINTS LIMBE FORT LIBERTE
ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

OUANAMINTHE
A set of productive agricultural systems have historically
generated the wealth of the country.
MARMELADE
DONDON It is this multi-faceted land that could be more intensely
used and modernized by the project.
GONAÏVES ENNERY SAINT
RAPHAEL
CAFE AGRUMES This territory could well be described as a zone split

CULTURES MARAICHERES Pathways to intensified use and
SAINT at the center by a mountain range that leads from modernization
MICHEL DE
L’ATTALAYE Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye to Thomonde/Boucan Carré
- the Montagnes Noires, with an open plain to the sea in Modernizing the system of agriculture will involve the
PIGNON
the west, the Artibonite valley, and the Central Plateau in following focal points:
L’ESTERE
the east. This geography results in three major types of
DESDUNES
CANNE A SUCRE agricultural systems: - Exploration of possible means of irrigation by
MARCHAND
pumping (hydraulic rams, bucket conveyors) drawing
DESSALINES CAFE - A system dominated by rice growing and commercial from the deeply embedded rivers in the Central Plateau;
vegetable farming, from Marchand-Dessalines and Petite
RIZ ELEVAGE Rivière de l’Artibonite up to Mirebalais; - Expansion of fruit plantations of mangos, avocados,
MAISSADE HINCHE assorted fruits (tamarind, guava), improvement of
- A system dominated by sugar cane and rainfed crops conditions for transportation and the creation of sorting,
PONT
SONDE
PETITE RIVIERE such as sorghum, cassava and pigeon peas; packing and/or processing centers;
DE L’ARTIBONITE
SAINT MARC
LIANCOURT CAFE - A multi-crop hillside staple crop system dominated by
FOURRAGE THOMASSIQUE
tubers (sweet potatoes) and corn or sorghum. - Improvement of sugar cane processing plants (use of
VERRETTES
POLYCULTURE bagasse, enhanced energy efficiency, introduction of
VIVRIERE THOMONDE
Bananas thrive everywhere, in irrigated zones as well as new boilers to replace colonial-era ones, etc.);
in the more humid depressions of the Central Plateau
DESARMES and the Montagnes Noires. - Assistance for farming with animal traction (plows,
carts);
BOUCAN CARRE This form of agriculture, practiced on small plots, with
ELIAS very little mechanization (some farming with draught - Assistance in improving animal husbandry (making use
PINA
animals around Hinche), and only rarely using chemical of the Artibonite’s abundant by-products suitable for
LA CHAPELLE CAFE inputs (nitrogen fertilizers in the Artibonite valley), has animal feed);
MIREBALAIS
BELLADERE benefited from a number of rather curious production
Urban focal point and niches: lime and bitter oranges to the south of
Main marketplaces SAUT D’EAU LASCAHOBAS
- The creation of distilleries to produce rum or
CACAO Saint-Raphael for the Lapostole (Cointreau) company, pharmaceutical alcohol;
Main gathering points and vetiver between Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye and
Irrigated agriculture MANGUE AVOCATS FRUITIERS Maïssade (essential oils). - Upgrading of the Pignon technology center
(manufacture/repair of mills, manufacture/repair of
0 10 20km A system of agriculture undergoing change vats, etc.);
New opportunities offered by agriculture in the part of - Assistance in the creation, upkeep or modernization of
FARM ROADS the loop located on the Central Plateau would seem to be rice processing plants;
SAINT
the Francis mango, purchased by exporters in Port-au-
GONAIVES RAPHAEL Prince, as well as tamarind, pigeon peas and avocados, - The main loop and the farm roads cross a very large
SAINT
which go off to Dominican markets. number of ravines. Each crossing is a potential spot for
MICHEL DE
L’ATTALAYE storing major quantities of water to be used to multiply
PIGNON Sugar cane, which has existed for several centuries on the added value of farmland located downstream by
the plateau, seems to be enjoying a new heyday with the a factor of 50! These structures will be designed to
multiplication of sugar mills and processing units that withstand temporary flooding.
MARCHAND
DESSALINES produce coarse sugar (rapadou), cane syrup (for the local
MAISSADE
distilleries on the Plateau and the Léogane plain) and
HINCHE
clairin (local alcohol). The municipalities of Saint-Michel
SAINT MARC
PETITE RIVIERE
DE L’ARTIBONITE
de l’Attalaye and Pignon are located at the center of this
area of sugar-cane based production.
THOMONDE
Deterioration of the irrigation system in the Artibonite
DESARMES
valley and of the structures for water management, as
BOUCAN CARRE
well as the competition from rice imported from the
LE CHAPELLE
U.S., have tended to reduce the area devoted to rice
MIREBALAIS
in favor of vegetable crops that still find a profitable
market: eggplant, shallots and tomatoes.
0 10 20km

Access to drinking water in rural areas
IRRIGATION AND DRINKING WATER

Water: a source of wealth or a threat to physical structures
and public health. An essential prerequisite for development is
management of all the stages of irrigation and the distribution
of drinking water.
In Haiti, water is simultaneously an opportunity, a Developing hillside reservoirs and

weakness and a threat. The country has ample rainfall irrigation on the Central Plateau
(1400 m on average) but only 10% of rainwater runoff The hillside water storage tanks built beginning in the
is used (90% in irrigation, 10% for domestic use). 1970’s on the Central Plateau allowed the cultivation of
adjacent land for vegetable farming in the dry season
The largest irrigation basin is the Artibonite region, with and improved the living conditions of peasants located
approximately 25,000 ha. Within the loop, water used nearby. Assistance must be provided for community
for human needs is basically very vulnerable surface management of these facilities.
water. The road development project will entail creating
a multitude of crossing structures that can provide for Renovation work on farm roads and modernization
storage, flood-control and energy needs. of the Saint-Raphaël – Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye –
Marchand Dessalines road might be a good opportunity
Regulation and irrigation for such water retention projects, taking advantage of
The Artibonite watershed (9,500 km2 in total, 6,800 the presence of earthmoving machines required to
Irrigation canals of the Lower Artibonite
in Haiti and 2,700 in the Dominican Republic) plays a properly shape the dikes according to best practices,
critical role in the water cycle on the island of Hispaniola. which would be a useful complement to road-building.
With an average 2,000 mm of annual rainfall on the
ridgetops, 1,800 mm of rainfall on the upper basin and Maintaining and enhancing irrigation
1,500 mm downstream from Péligre, the supply of water
is abundant and constantly renewed. systems
The irrigation canals of the Lower Artibonite require
The Artibonite is the largest river in Haiti and has an regular maintenance. The human and material resources
average annual flow estimated to be between 85 and 101 for this maintenance must be found together with the
m3/sec at Péligre. relevant institutional authorities (ODVA, Ministry of
Agriculture).
However, abundant rainfall and violent storms, coupled
with poor ground cover (only traces remain of the pine Other irrigation systems could be developed to expand
forests that covered the banks of the Artibonite until the the land area under irrigation and increase agricultural
early 20th century) cause runoff and erosion and lead to yields.
episodes of high-water and flooding, especially in the
lower Artibonite valley. Upgrading and expanding city water
systems
Retaining water upstream In order to improve access to drinking water and meet
In order to reduce high-water phenomena at the public health challenges, the National Department of
upstream stage, the water should be retained as far Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) has included
upstream as possible: deployment of small irrigated areas in its priorities ten water and sanitation projects in towns
(SIA), construction of infiltration areas, of masonry within the loop: Mirebalais, Thomonde, Hinche, Pignon,
micro-catch basins and cisterns near residences, building Saint Raphaël, Saint Michel, Marchand Dessalines,
of micro-dams in the ravines, construction of hillside Petite Rivière, Verrettes, La Chapelle. These projects
The Péligre reservoir lake Hillside lake at Pandiassou lakes. These containment points will also help regulate are intended to make existing systems more secure and
the supply of water and improve access to it. They will expand them.
serve to increase irrigation and thus enhance agricultural
production. Actions taken in terms of solid waste management will
also help improve water quality.
Vertical extension of the Péligre dam
Originally built to serve as a water reservoir and to Meeting the needs of rural areas
facilitate the irrigation of downstream land, the Péligre In addition to the projects for drinking water and
Dam has had its capacity severely reduced in recent sanitation systems in the cities, DINEPA has addressed
years due to gradual sedimentation of the lake. Vertically the problem of access to drinking water and sanitation in
extending the dam by 3 m would renew its storage rural areas. The province of the Artibonite was selected
capacity. for conducting a pilot project.

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE
ENERGY PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY
OUANAMINTHE
Access to energy is the second prerequisite for development. The loop has
great potential, but the question now is how to set priorities and establish
MARMELADE DONDON
all of the means of production suitable for each local situation.
SAINT
GONAÏVES
ENNERY RAPHAEL
RESEAU HAUT
15MW ARTIBONITE
At present, the following installations are found in the flow rate of 28 m3/s would supply 1 MW, a supplement
SAINT
MICHEL DE
loop: suitable for 20,000 consumers.
L’ATTALAYE - Péligre Dam (54MW rating but irregular during the dry In-current turbines installed on the Artibonite upstream
season); from Pont Sondé could provide 12 - 15 MW and reduce
2,5 MW PIGNON - Micro generating plants at Onde Verte (0.6 MW), energy dependency.
L’ESTERE
DESDUNES
MARCHAND Drouet (0.5 MW operational of 2 MW rated) and Délugé
DESSALINES
(1.8 MW); The Upper Artibonite network
- Thermal power plants at Gonaïves (15 MW) and The plan to construct a thermal generating plant at
Saint-Marc (2 MW); Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye to benefit the municipalities
RESEAU BAS - Electric generators (Hinche, Pignon, Saint-Michel, of St-Michel, St-Raphaël, Pignon, Dondon, Marmelade
2 MW ARTIBONITE etc.);
HINCHE
and Ennery could also be accompanied by a biomass
DROUET MAISSADE
23KV
- Private solar installations. fueled plant using bagasse and by exploiting the
2 MW hydro-electric potential of neighboring rivers.
PONT LIANCOURT
PETITE RIVIERE The energy plan for the loop would be broken down Commercial development of the 25,000 ha of Savane
SAINT MARC DE L’ARTIBONITE
SONDE 23KV into three levels: Diane around an integrated agricultural-industrial-
THOMASSIQUE - Upgrading of the primary system around the Péligre energy project would allow the development of an
DELUGE
VERRETTES RESEAU PLATEAU and Artibonite 4C dams; energy resource likely to meet the needs of agricultural
1,8MW CENTRAL - Research on sustainable solutions for the secondary processing plants and local populations.
THOMONDE
networks;
DESARMES 13,8KV - The creation of access points to electric power in every Using renewable energy to supply rural
23KV
small community.
BOUCAN CARRE
54MW PELIGRE community and agro-industrial plants
32MW ARTIBONITE 4C
ELIAS
PINA Exploiting the hydro-electric potential Micro hydro-electric generating plants
LE CHAPELLE
MIREBALAIS LASCAHOBAS
for the primary network The Center-Artibonite loop crosses a number of sites
PROJECTED PRODUCTION BELLADERE
that could lend themselves to the construction of micro
LEVELS 0,6MW
ONDE VERTE The Central Plateau network dams to produce cheap electricity for “local” use. The
15MW Hydro-electric power SAUT D’EAU The planned Artibonite 4C dam project has been failure of micro plants built in the 1980’s, largely due to
15MW Thermal-electric power envisioned since 1983. A 47m spillway would provide 32 a lack of maintenance, should not lead us to give up on
115KV 13,8KV MW of power. Placed on the grid with Péligre, the energy this method.
DISTRIBUTION produced would be distributed essentially to PAP, but More moderate scale hydro-electric projects that are
System planned PAP also locally: the primary grid would service Thomonde, nevertheless of non-negligible utility for local use have
System to be built Hinche, Thomassique (23kV line) and Boucan Carré been identified since 1980 but their power potential still
0 10 20km (13.8kV tap-in). A branch line to Mirebalais and needs to be defined.
Lascahobas would also help preserve the production of
the Onde Verte plant in Belladère. A total of 420,000 - Voûte à Minguet on the Bouyaha,
ELECTRIC POWER GRID
inhabitants, 20% of the population in the loop, would - Granan on the Guape,
benefit from the project. - Roche Rameau on the Platana,
- Bassin Laurent on the Attalaye.
Seeking sustainable solutions for the With a production of 1-2 MW per plant, these projects
Péligre dam Photovoltaic lighting on the Central Plateau secondary networks could benefit 120,000 people.
The Lower Artibonite network Solar energy

The municipalities of the Lower Artibonite are connected For municipal areas distant from the primary grid,
to the grid comprised of the thermal plants at Gonaïves solar energy offers a means of access to electric power.
and Saint-Marc and the hydro-electric plants at Drouet Existing “community centers” could aspire to energy
and Délugé. A complete overhaul of the electrical and autonomy using 28 photovoltaic roof panels and an
mechanical equipment of the plants at Drouet (only one electric generator as a back-up. Solar-powered street
of the four generators is currently operational), Délugé lights and charging stations for cell phones could
and Onde Verte would re-establish normal service for provide inputs in the core areas of municipalities and at
76,000 consumers and would reduce the demand for the intersections of farm roads. These would constitute
fossil fuels. places for socializing and the first tier for consolidating
The installation of a generating plant at the dam that and providing access to services.
feeds into the Caneau irrigation canal merits study. The
sharp drop-off is only 4 m in height, but an equipped

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE MODERNIZING AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPING
PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
OUANAMINTHE
DONDON
If local administrations can set aside dedicated sites,
The main priority: effective distribution combined with a suitable legal framework, this would do
GONAÏVES ENNERY
SAINT
RAPHAEL and use of agricultural products much to stimulate private investment. The cities on the
loop will thus constitute a basis for economic initiatives
The existence of quality infrastructure is a prerequisite that stimulate growth and create jobs.
SAINT
MICHEL DE if development goals are to become a reality, but is not
L’ATTALAYE
by itself sufficient: an effective road system is only a tool However, even backed by strong political will, the
that serves to increase economic potential, providing conditions for implementation of duty-free zones are
L’ESTERE
that the bases are healthy. hard to define in detail. Production in duty-free zones,
PIGNON
DESDUNES MARCHAND in practice, corresponds to mature products with
DESSALINES Thus, for the Center-Artibonite loop, along with the standardized production practices and they are subjected
question of infrastructure is that of revenue from to intense competition that favors transfer to countries
agricultural production. At an initial stage, without waiting with lower labor costs. For Haiti and the Center-
for improvement in the conditions of transportation, it Artibonite region, by making use of the easements
is already possible to reduce the percentage of losses in granted by the Hope legislation, one can foresee the
MAISSADE agricultural products by better packaging starting right in development of manufacturing industries,focused
the area of cultivation. As an illustration, the current rate mainly on clothing assembly and agri-business.
HINCHE
PONT PETITE RIVIERE of loss for mangos, estimated at 50%, is huge and the
SAINT MARC SONDE
LIANCOURT
DE L’ARTIBONITE gain one can expect from better packaging is far greater Furthering development
than its cost. Maintenance on existing irrigation systems
THOMASSIQUE
VERRETTES and the creation of new ones are also critical to enhance The creation of processing industries constitutes a
THOMONDE
profitability. first step. The subsequent challenge will be to move
toward greater added value by attracting sectors that
DESARMES This modernization of the agricultural sector cannot be use more advanced technology and low cost manpower
conceived of without farmers having access to cheap (pharmaceutical products, electronic components), as
BOUCAN CARRE
credit that will provide access to tools and fertilizers and well as service businesses.
ELIAS compensate for the destructive effects of opening the
PINA
Haitian market to agricultural products from abroad. The Center-Artibonite region should make better use of
LE CHAPELLE
LASCAHOBAS its direct links to the country’s major ports and to the
MIREBALAIS
BELLADERE Creating attractive conditions for Dominican Republic, and endow itself with the means
Port SAUT D’EAU
businesses to make use of labor that is available, competent and
flexible, both in sectors requiring few qualifications and
Airport Other means of modernization can be deployed: the others that are more technical. In and of itself, economic
introduction of scales in the local markets, a system for development may induce learning effects and growth
Sectors for economic collecting statistical data on volumes produced, etc. A in human capital, but these will need to be expanded
development through a program of vocational training.
land-use policy that encourages consolidating farm plots
would make it easier to undertake certain agricultural
0 10 20km Lastly, in terms of urban planning, the emergence of
operations.
economic activity in the cities on the loop will affect the
Modernizing the agricultural system also means demand for housing close to where the jobs are located.
reducing the number of jobs in this sector. Economic As a result, migration of the population to the cities
development of the region will thus require the creation on the loop should be expected. Major investments
Job creation - an absolute necessity for stabilizing population movements of other economic activities. To achieve that, the Center- must be made in developing and organizing the cities
Artibonite loop will have to meet other conditions: and hamlets of the loop. Once economic development
- land available for new businesses; is under way, the challenge for the region will be to
Job creation is a top priority. This means going beyond region and for which various projects are under study. - a qualified labor force. maintain the urban/rural balance desirable for its system
a short-term response consisting of recourse to HIMO Lastly, the potential for business and trade with the We might also add the legal and financial means favoring of networked cities.
activities, and the Center-Artibonite regional development Dominican Republic, which is still greatly under-used at investment, such as the creation of duty-free zones.
project must create the material conditions for economic present, could come to light through improvement of
development via transportation infrastructure and by the interconnecting roads. In spatial terms, the Center-Artibonite region project
making land available for businesses. describes the locations for economic activity zones in
each of the cities on the loop. This way, more than 350
Economic development of this region will draw first ha of economic activity zones could be created along the
on its current resources, meaning enhanced agricultural loop, thus permitting the deployment of businesses that
production. Existing roads, or those under construction, would complete the chains of commercial exploitation
leading to Haiti’s three largest cities, which are also its of agricultural products. All of these zones together
main ports, are also a major starting point. Saint-Marc represent a potential of 70,000 - 80,000 jobs for
particularly is a natural access point to the sea for the processing or manufacturing industries.

THE PEOPLE
3.
Creating a system of roads that constitutes
the backbone of the Center-Artibonite loop
is not an end in itself. The main objective
of the proposed road system is to build a
planned urban environment. Once the land
is improved and equipped, it could then
give rise to a modern economy capable of
supporting 2 million inhabitants.
The loop offers a new balance between

population density, lifestyles and economic
realities.
The cities can become a worthwhile

alternative to a choice between major,
dehumanized urban areas or a dispersed
habitational pattern that keeps a destitute
rural population far from services.
The loop will have to offer city-seekers those
services that are essential to their well-being
and the infrastructure without which no
economic planning can occur.
36 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 37

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
AND LAND OWNERSHIP
The Center-Artibonite loop currently has 1.2 million Dominican landowners gave title to the property. One
OUANAMINTHE
inhabitants. Approximately half of this population, thus encounters large stretches of government owned
500,000 people, is concentrated in the portion of the land, even if they are not well known to the government
DONDON
loop located in the Artibonite province. Deteriorating itself and its dimensions can only be determined in
MARMELADE
conditions for agricultural production lead to a rural the course of building a thorough knowledge of land
GONAÏVES
ENNERY
SAINT exodus by people seeking services, mainly schools. These ownership in this part of the loop.
RAPHAEL
population migrations (city populations will double in 20
years) result in the under-development of the towns and In the Artibonite, conflicts arising from commercial use
SAINT
hamlets, where institution building is left up to private of the valley have forced the administration to intervene
MICHEL DE initiative and is not backed by the government, while the directly in land-use matters. It has also had to create
L’ATTALAYE
countryside is pock-marked by a dispersed settlement “cases of exceptions” which, until the agrarian reform
pattern that creates its own gathering points around of 1996-1998, complicated the status of both users and
L’ESTERE PIGNON markets and along roads. The agricultural zones are owners due to requisitions, land-grabs and “placement
DESDUNES MARCHAND
DESSALINES
heavily populated (1.5 - 3 inhabitants/hectare) and the under government control”. What is private property
urban areas attain 70 inhabitants per hectare versus 110 and what is government-owned continues to be confused
-120 inhabitants in the coastal cities. The road from La today, and this confusion is the key cause of conflicts
Chapelle to Pont-Sondé constitutes a nearly continuous and poor administrative services in the Artibonite.
urbanized area with 30 - 50 inhabitants per hectare.
MAISSADE HINCHE
Removing obstacles to land ownership
Attention must be given to both the agricultural
population and to those that depart to cram themselves Organizing a city structurally requires an ability to plan
PONT
SAINT MARC SONDE LIANCOURT
PETITE RIVIERE
DE L’ARTIBONITE
into these hamlets and towns on the loop without decent ahead - master plans, a thorough reconnaissance of
living conditions. land ownership - a survey and registry, and a way to
THOMASSIQUE free up land ownership in order to create development
VERRETTES
The Artibonite and the Central Plateau, which became lots on viable land suitable for new residents. Land
THOMONDE part of Haitian territory at different points in time, ownership operations are thus inseparable from urban
nevertheless have shared features in terms of land planning where goals are explicitly defined and set out
DESARMES
ownership: on a timeline. The creation of publicly owned lands
BOUCAN CARRE - A dispersed rural settlement pattern that is largely reserved for the construction of community facilities,
explained by the fact that farmers build where they find financial assistance and building codes are all essential
ELIAS
PINA a certain security of land ownership, generally on family components of the modernization of the cities on the
LA CHAPELLE land or land purchased according to the whims of the loop.
LASCAHOBAS real estate market;
BELLADERE
- 1 inhab / ha MIREBALAIS - A highly accentuated minifundium in the irrigated Likewise, our concept of a modernized agricultural
SAUT D’EAU
1 - 2.5 inhab/ha
areas, which are thus more intensively used: around system for the loop cannot be achieved without a land
Dessalines and Petite Rivière, on the left bank of the consolidation program whose main objective will be to
2.5 - 5 inhab/ha Artibonite, in the irrigated sector of Saint-Raphaël; create farms large enough to turn their operators into
5 - 20 inhab/ha - Larger plots in the Central Plateau, dominated by sugar real businessmen with an effective bargaining capacity.
70 inhab/ha (20-130) cane farming and extensive cattle raising; A reform of the land taxation system is also needed in
- Small peasant plots in the mountains in the north and order to cover not only built-up land, as is presently the
0 10 20km west of the loop. case, but also the ownership of bare land.
Managing agricultural and urban land ownership assumes
POPULATION DENSITY These plots are often undivided family land, and successive the existence of Land Use Surveys and of basic tools for
generations have taken over without undertaking official land improvement, all of which need to be created under
partitions. This family-based consolidation is the cause Haitian
tools forlegislation.
land improvement, all of which need to be created under Haitian legislatio
of the often violent conflicts which arose from the
divvying up of the consolidations when the Artibonite
Linear habitat along the road from Désarmes to La Chapelle became commercially valuable through irrigation in the Land area in question Average density
first half of the 19th century. (inhabitants/ha)
Downtown area of major cities (outside the loop) 110 - 200
(Saint-Marc, Gonaïves)
Downtown areas of provincial capitals 70 - 130
Government-owned land (e.g., Mirebalais)
Downtown area of junction cities 50 - 90
(e.g., Saint-Raphaël)
There is much confusion concerning government Peripheral urban neighborhoods 30 - 50
owned lands Due to the more recent integration of (e.g., linear settlement patterns between Désarmes and La
the Center into the Haitian Republic, the land grants Chapelle)
of the years 1810/1820 that form the basis of small Moderately settled agricultural zone 1.6 - 3
peasant ownership in the rest of the country did not (e.g., the rural zone of the Artibonite)
take place. More sporadic grants were made later on, Thinly settled agricultural zone 1 - 1.6
(e.g., the rural zone of the Center)
while a private division of land arising from gradual
agricultural takeover of these lands by Haitians and
Current population: 1.2 million inhabitants
from real estate transactions with Spanish and then Predicted population: 2 million inhabitants

ROADS WITH TWO SPEEDS
The road as a social and economic reference In Haiti, roads are a common area for social interactions. Increased travel speeds
in Haitian minds will change this pattern and generate risks. Roads with two speeds are the urban
planner’s response to this confrontation.
In Haiti, roads are where all types of social interaction - Second, it fails to take into account the social life
take place. In the cities and towns, the shoulders of established on both sides of the road, with a constant
roads are appropriated by merchants moving on foot, reminder being the “school children’s path”.
and in the peripheral urban zones, the poor condition
of the road surface serves to reduce traffic speeds. Even In other situations, broad stone bases fulfill every
in the case of asphalt roads, patterns of use fall back conceivable role related to social life and to traffic. This
on those of dirt tracks rutted by travelers and by bad is the case, for example, of the new road linking NH1
weather. Some more recent arteries are an exception to to Saut-d’Eau.
this rule, such as the links between PAP and Saint-Marc
or PAP and Mirebalais. Under these conditions, higher By combining two models, one could conceive of
travel speeds clearly increase the dangers and affect the 7-meter asphalt lanes on broad bases (20-25 m), dealing
relationship with traditional users of the roads. simultaneously with three issues:
In most cases, customary means of getting across cities - The high-speed travel road (50 km/h),
have not followed new road construction. The routes - Protection from water damage,
through Cabaret or Saint-Marc, encumbered with - And a “slow lane”, intended for pedestrian, bicycle and
markets, demonstrate this situation. The construction mule traffic.
of a by-pass around Mirebalais is an attempt to deal with
this problem. Whenever the geography so permits, by- This system need not be continuous and could be built
passes of city centers should be built. This is also an based on each urban, suburban or rural configuration.
opportunity to organize urban development zones and For each segment of roadway, preliminary siting studies
to set up trade and transport hubs that are well equipped should specifically take into account this “urban”
and located along roadsides. Urban planning problems problem.
still do not deal, however, with the new factor of
increased travel speeds introduced by the new networks. This system opens the door to broader thinking about
the communal structures that will determine the rhythms
The construction of a 7-meter wide asphalt strip on a and organization of urban roadways. The trade and
9-meter base presents two weaknesses: transport hubs and community living spaces will be the
- First, it fails to deal with, or deals poorly with, water- basic structures associated with the roads project, but
management issues, which leads to rapid degradation of will also be designed to be reference points for planning
structures in vulnerable areas.
Slow traffic lane High-speed traffic lane
Slow traffic lane High-speed traffic lane

CAP HAÏTIEN
LIMBE
FORT LIBERTE
HYGIENE AND WASTE

OUANAMINTHE
MARMELADE DONDON
The lack of hygiene is responsible for many diarrhetic capabilities of the collection vehicles and the existence
illnesses, which constitute a primary cause of infant of connecting roads. The markets will be cleaned on
GONAÏVES ENNERY
SAINT mortality in Haiti. Since cholera erupted in the country in a daily basis in order to consolidate solid waste and
RAPHAEL October 2010, hygiene has moved to the core of public evacuate it, combining a “sanitation” approach and a
health concerns. The fact that the epidemic started in the “waste” input.
SAINT heart of this very loop, in Grand Boucan (a municipality
MICHEL DE of Mirebalais) and in Grande Saline, sounds a warning. The second stage consists of extending the service to
L’ATTALAYE
It is now imperative that there be a highly effective rural populations depending on available resources and
L’ESTERE
program in this sense, with the goal of having a latrine feasible routes. Composting centers will be deployed
PIGNON
MARCHAND
for every house. The problem of drinking water has also near the points of social gathering in each communal
DESDUNES
DESSALINES become an issue all along the Artibonite river. sector of the loop. Inhabitants who bring organic waste
there could receive compost in return.
The hygiene awareness campaign will be accompanied
by the visible deployment of serious measures for
managing solid waste and excrement. Installation of a waste processing site in
MAISSADE HINCHE each geographic sector of the loop
The overall plan for solid waste management in the Each sector will be organized around a processing
PONT PETITE RIVIERE DE L’ARTIBONITE Center-Artibonite loop must nevertheless be: center, an operation that is efficient and easy to grasp:
SAINT MARC SONDE
LIANCOURT
- Far-reaching, since it means creating a collective storage facilities used to dispose of waste products. The
awareness in terms of the environment, human and link is symbolized by the stretch between the main or
THOMASSIQUE
VERRETTES animal health, and energy. secondary consolidation point and the landfill site.
- And realistic, so that the entire population can adopt
THOMONDE
these goals. It is critical that every inhabitant clearly Four storage/processing units will thus be set up on
understand the effect of the solid waste management the loop, one for each of the geographic areas defined
DESARMES
program, and this showcase initially involves the notion around:
BOUCAN CARRE of the cleanliness of a place used by everyone in a part - Mirebalais
ELIAS of their community or city: the marketplace. This living - Hinche
PINA space is the one to make shine so that everyone will seek - Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye
LE CHAPELLE to emulate such “cleanliness”. - Petite-Rivière (site at Marin).
LASCAHOBAS
BELLADERE
MIREBALAIS
Management sectors
SAUT D’EAU Setting up a prioritized system of waste Organizing shipment between collection
Landfill center management to give everyone access to centers and processing centers
Collection points services Shipment between consolidation points and storage/
The operations of cleaning up, consolidating, collection, processing plants will depend on the interconnections
Center for training in waste transportation and processing form the web that needs by road. This factor calls for the installation not only of
management
to be created and extended to the entire population in disposal points but also of loading points for each of the
0 10 20km question, in stages and following a timeline to be defined. sectors and municipalities involved.
The vehicles used to transport solid waste should also
The main fibers of this web are the main and secondary optimize the quantity transported in relation to their fuel
ORGANIZING THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMON WASTE
roads of the Center-Artibonite loop. These links consumption. These vehicles should also be suited to
between the various geographic sectors are what will the road conditions.
make management of household waste successful in
each of these management sectors. Solid waste management for the Center-Artibonite loop
will also form part of a national plan and constitute a
Banks of the Artibonite River at Mirebalais Guayamouc River at Hinche Waste control awareness campaign key link therein.
Clean-up and collection in town centers
and markets as a first priority It will also be a means of creating jobs at all levels (from
The first stage consists of setting up a Household Waste laborers to landfill site managers), which will require the
Management system in towns and cities in order to establishment of suitable vocational training courses.
bring sanitation and collection services to the “urban”
population groups. This objective will entail substantial investment costs
(in equipment, platforms, storage facilities, etc.) and
The central collection point for solid waste will be operating costs (personnel, vehicle maintenance, site
the market, the gathering spot, place for conversation management, fuel consumption, etc.). It requires
and location where organic products are consumed. deploying a global chain of management and processing
Secondary collection points will be installed subsequently for solid waste and a sustainable means of funding.
in other districts of the city and in other markets of the
zone in question, based on the loading and movement

HEALTHCARE NETWORKS
Access to healthcare and organizing prevention are a key problem
in fragmented areas. Three levels of facilities will be required to
DONDON OUANAMINTHE
meet the public’s needs.
ENNERY SAINT
GONAÏVES
HOPITAL RAPHAEL
LA PROVIDENCE HOPITAL COMMUNAUTAIRE Reinforcing the three levels of access to healthcare: Developing community-based medical
outposts
SAINT
- Medical outposts located as close as possible to
MICHEL DE population groups, close to living spaces and gathering The public health conditions of women are a cause
L’ATTALAYE
points (markets, community centers, etc.); for major concern. The rate of mortality in delivery
HOPITAL BIENFAISANCE
L’ESTERE MARCHAND (630 deaths for 100,000 births) and the rate of infant
DESSALINES
PIGNON - Dispensaries and health centers in the various mortality (57 deaths before age 1 for every 1,000 children
DESDUNES communal sectors; born) are still among the highest in the region. Bringing
these rates down entails building locally accessible health
HOPITAL CLAIRE HEUREUSE - Hospitals deployed along the loop and accessible clinics in all of the communal sectors.
within a half-hour;
These points of services and information could
HINCHE By buttressing existing structures, consolidating usefully be located near markets, where women tend
MAISSADE
HOPITAL Ste. THERESE connecting links and promoting training for healthcare to congregate in large numbers. These centers could
PONT
PETITE RIVIERE DE L’ARTIBONITE personnel. be directed by chief midwives and nurses specialized
SONDE
SAINT MARC LIANCOURT
in caring for pregnant women, in maternity care and in
Upgrading hospital facilities and pediatrics. These people could be responsible for hygiene
HOPITAL St. NICOLAS HOPITAL ALBERT SCHWEITWER THOMASSIQUE
connecting them in a network awareness campaigns and post-natal care, and could take
VERRETTES
THOMONDE in people with problems and offer them emergency care
The various hospital establishments present on the before referring them, as needed, to dispensaries or to
DESARMES loop sThe various hospital establishments present on the better-equipped hospitals.
BOUCAN CARRE
HOPITAL CAL DE CANGE the loop should be upgraded and expanded in order to
adjust to an extension of their area of service, along with Awareness, education and guidance, especially in terms
ELIAS
PINA
improving their hosting capacity and the quality of care of contraception, would constitute the missions of
LE CHAPELLE
provided. these centers set up for women and children and located
as close as possible to rural communities.
LASCAHOBAS
MIREBALAIS
BELLADERE This high-quality system will be built around
SAUT D’EAU
HOPITAL COMMUNAUTAIRE
establishments that already exist: Developing training for healthcare jobs
project - The community hospital in Mirebalais, currently the No healthcare system is sustainable without a solid set of
target of a university hospital development training courses. This system must cover all healthcare
existing project which is under construction; jobs: midwives, assistants, nurses, doctors, specialists, lab
- The hospital in Cange and the network of associated technicians, radiologists, etc.
Zanmi Lasanté establishments;
0 10 20km - The Sainte-Thérèse hospital in Hinche; Initial training and in-service training must be developed
- The Bienfaisance hospital in Pignon simultaneously using the model of the university
HOSPITAL COVERAGE - The community hospital in Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, teaching hospitals.
to be upgraded to include surgical services;
- The Claire Heureuse hospital in Marchand Dessalines; The Bienfaisance hospital in Pignon is already equipped
- The Albert Schweitzer hospital in Deschappelles. with operating rooms with videoconference connections
to amphitheatres and could be given further assistance in
Bienfaisance Hospital in Pignon Sainte-Thérèse Hospital in Hinche
Development of a network of dispensaries its university teaching missions.
surrounding each main hospital The hospital under construction in Mirebalais will also
constitute a key training center for the region.
The networking of dispensaries and community health
centers around the main hospitals should provide In-service training should be established in such a way
wider access to healthcare services and a more effective that it takes advantage of the networking of the medical
distribution of skills. outposts, dispensaries and hospitals. Every healthcare
employee should thus be able to receive one week of
The Zanmi Lasanté system is an example to be training per semester.
expanded on and copied. The interconnection
of dispensaries around a main hospital promotes
exchanges of experience between dispensaries and
medical personnel, improves the quality of care and
offers opportunities for specialization.

EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Young people are the country’s key to
DONDON prosperity. Education is the sine qua non
UPAG OUANAMINTHE
in combating poverty.
GONAÏVES SAINT Organizing the educational systems is a
ENNERY
RAPHAEL
priority focus of the reconstruction efforts.
EFACAP
The Haitian educational system is divided into two
SAINT
MICHEL DE major levels: “basic” education, where completion of
L’ATTALAYE
the course of study is certified by two examinations, the
CEP (primary school) and the Brevet (middle school), and
L’ESTERE EFACAP
MARCHAND
PIGNON
“secondary” level education, which ends with Bac I and
DESDUNES
DESSALINES PRO II exams.
The system suffers from a lack of standards and control

on the part of the Ministry of Education, from the
heterogeneity of the curricula, from the more or less
HINCHE adequate quality of teaching and teachers, and from a
MAISSADE
disparity in ages in the same classroom (an age difference
EFACAP
PONT PETITE RIVIERE
possibly attaining ten years within the same peer group).
SAINT MARC SONDE
LIANCOURT
DE L’ARTIBONITE
EFACAP Secondary Level
UNAP PRO THOMASSIQUE
Basic-level education
The “new” secondary curriculum has yet to be designed
VERRETTES
The Central Plateau and the Artibonite are recognized as or implemented since the educational reform of 1997.
THOMONDE
provinces where the quality of education and the rate of Top-quality high schools should be set up in every city
DESARMES school enrollment are poor. on the loop.
BOUCAN CARRE
UNI The wide dispersion of the rural population has a Vocational training and higher education
ELIAS substantial effect on the age at which children start
PINA
school and on school enrollment. One thus finds an In order to combat unemployment among young people
LE CHAPELLE off-set of two to three years between the cities and the and major migrations from the hinterland to the large
LASCAHOBAS
HIGHER EDUCATION MIREBALAIS
countryside: if a school is more than 5 km from their urban centers (Port-au-Prince, Cap Haïtien, Gonaïves),
BELLADERE
UPAG Public university SAUT D’EAU home, students have to wait until they are old enough to one must clearly offer local career alternatives, along
UNAP Independent university EFACAP make it to school. with a range of vocational training courses suited to the
PRO Vocational training EFACAP reality of people’s needs and to opportunities found on
UNI University project PRO Universal schooling is an objective that entails mobilizing the land.
resources.
BASIC EDUCATION LEVEL
EFACAP Basic-Level Teacher Training School and Educational
A number of projects are already being prepared:
Support Centerd’Appui Pédagogique In order to remedy the problem of the quality of
Basic-Level Teacher Training School and education, the national Ministry of Education and - In healthcare sectors (project of the Ministry of Public
Educational Support Center Vocational Training has created the EFACAP system Health and Population. in Mirebalais);
0 10 20km Network of linked schools and distance-learning classes
(Basic-Level Teacher Training School, Educational
Support Center) as part of its National Education and - In the sectors for water, sanitation and solid waste (pro-
Training Plan (PNEF 1997) Deployed in four provinces, ject of the DINEPA and the GDS, in Mirebalais).
including the Center, it is intended to improve teacher
training and increase the quality of teaching. The Other skill areas also deserve to be developed:
EFACAPs combine teaching activities and teacher
training on one campus. - Agribusiness, in Hinche around the university center
and the EMDH (the Hinche Technical School of Agri-
At present, it is necessary to shore up the network of culture), and in Saint-Michel in conjunction with the
EFACAPs by extending it to the North and Artibonite Savane Diane agricultural development project;
provinces, thus equipping Saint-Raphael, Saint-Michel
de l’Attalaye and Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite with pilot - Construction and roadwork trades, in Saint-Michel de
schools and attaching to them a network of partner l’Attalaye in conjunction with the project for the Regio-
schools and distance learning classes. nal Public Works Center;
Once networked, the EFACAPs will provide practical - A “computer science and communication” center in
input in both public and private schools and will pass the Lower Artibonite;
on the information to the remote classrooms (1st -
3rd grades, from age 6 -9), which will be set up in the - Language schools to promote international exchanges,
communal sectors closest to the children. especially with the Dominican Republic.

TRADE AND TRANSPORT HUBS TRADE AND TRANSPORT HUBS
To be created in each of the 10 junction cities of the
loop in order to promote social interchanges. AND COMMUNITY LIFE CENTERS
Laid out in accordance with the sequencing of the loop (half an hour to the city), public-
use spaces will embody the functions of market & transport centers and community life
BUS STATION centers. They will be administered as «government domain» entities that combine a
number of public or private functions. They will establish a presence in the area for the
national government and for local institutions.
The trade and transport hubs
These will be linked to the system of public an opportune place for a police station that is part of
transportation and to the “mixed-mode” character of a network associated both with the cities and the roads.
MARKETPLACE GAS STATION traditional means of transportation providing shuttle These 10 trade and transport hubs would constitute
services and penetrating farther into the countryside via landmarks for a reliable, well-organized system of roads.
the farm roads. They need not be limited to the Center-Artibonite loop
PUBLIC FACILITIES and could usefully be located along the country’s major
Small, standardized bus stations will provide the arteries.
interconnection to the main roads, separating express
buses running the major arteries and local transportation Their spacing, their operational status and their proper
that is poorly developed at present, but which will emerge management represent a stake in the transparency,
with the new network of roads. This arrangement success and image of roadside service facilities.
provides a better way to incorporate those traditional
modes of transportation.
The community life centers
To this baseline operation, one could associate new
markets that are better organized and safer, along with A different question also frequently arises in the
sanitary facilities that are managed like public rest communal sectors concerning the lack of a central
houses. This “markets” program should be viewed as location and social center, mainly for the island’s
COMMUNITY LIFE CENTER a whole in order to simultaneously upgrade the large burgeoning adolescent population. In each communal
To be created throughout the zone of the Center- traditional markets already in existence on the loop or in sector, one could thus create small “government
Artibonite loop in order to help organize social life interconnecting areas such as those of L’Estère and Pont domains” of 3 or 4 hectares that would combine sports,
within each of the 58 communal sectors and to establish Sondé. Enhancing the viability of public spaces in urban recreation, culture and public health – viewed as a set of
there a point of shelter and assistance in the event of centers is beginning to be a challenge. The plans for preventive measures for young people. This “complex”
emergencies. laying cobblestones on squares and streets is a primary of functions should include a set of permanent
example. This is a means of improving the quality of installations: a soccer field, a gymnasium and sports
these spaces, but without any ground preparation and grounds, all adjoining a small media center offering new
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES without provisions for their installation and upkeep technologies, that would also serve as a communications
other than replacing the asphalt, these improvements and public safety post. In the event of a weather-related
risk quickly ending up in a state of dilapidation that emergency, this complex would become the rallying
HEALTH CENTER seems to affect anything considered “public” in Haiti. point for the city, while on the day-to-day level being
seen as a place for sports, festivities and communication
In the cities, the main targets in terms of quality and with the rest of the country and abroad.
MULTIMEDIA CENTER maintenance are the schools, the courts and the
churches. This means giving value to the function of, Other functions, such as continuing education or a
SPORTS FACILITY and especially managing, spaces that are open to the preventive health clinic, or a home base for community
MAIN ENTRANCE public but are not simply a no-man’s land as most of the associations and a women’s shelter could be integrated
marketplaces seem to be. into the
usage plan based on local needs. Community dryers or
In this complicated context, one must combine the grain silos might also be created there.
creation of new public spaces with the legal status of a
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
semi-private “concession”: spaces set up and managed If these units are centrally located and designed to
by a commanding authority where people are received in accommodate urban density, they could also be network
order to take part in or perform a given activity. These heads for other facilities laid out in the core of the
locations should be model zones in terms of safety, communal sectors.
cleanliness and facilities (energy, sanitary functions,
means of communication, etc.). While the first step will be to create such places, the
real problem will be how to manage them. As part of
These “central units” could be of various sizes and have the policy of decentralization, local administrations
several different functions while still being associated will receive the necessary resources. Local authorities
with the roadway. One could add to these public facilities can already draw on decentralized assistance activities
a set of private facilities such as small business units laid and NGOs to develop local projects based on a shared
out in a “U” around a gas station. This might also be program.

THE PROJECTS
4.
The Center-Artibonite Loop is conceived
of as a global, coherent land use project
that is adapted to each particular set of
circumstances.
These projects cover all of the areas of

operations likely to structure the territory and
modernize the economy of an agricultural
region.
They are subsequently broken down by

themes and by communities to allow for
feasible and workable scales.
NB :
The mock-up diagrams are offered only as illustrations.
The precise locations of facilities and development zones will
require feasibility studies and consultation with local populations.
52 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PROJECTS 53

COMMUNITY-LEVEL DEVELOPMENT
Dense urban zone
Diffuse urban zone
Farm road
The part of the loop yet to be funded
EXISTING PROJECT
Bus station
Market
ENNERY
CAP HAÏTIEN
OUANAMINTHE
RESTAURATION
Factories and processing plants
THOMASSIQUE
Businesses and gas stations
U University
New urban “unit”
Waste
U U
H Hospital
Energy
@ Media center and new technologies

H H
EL ËL
I CH AYE HA E
-M L GE P GU
E
ND
INT ATTA RA N T
AN RE E ON
ITE ON
D O
A R T- AB DÈ CH VINE
FO N L
OM
S L’ O NE
CO
AIN N
EN A RM
LL N
DE RA S BU PIG CO HI RA MA SA
VA
TH
RIVIÈRE BOUYAHA
RIVIÈRE CANOT
23 KM 16 KM 28 KM 17 KM
CANGE
MAÏSSADE
LAC DE PÉLIGRE
35 KM
36 KM
PÉLIGRE
BOUCAN CARRÉ
ARTIBONITE
19 KM 21 KM 17 KM 24 KM
ES
FLEUVE ARTIBONITE
D- E ET
T IN S AU E RIE IS
AN S JO
UR
I ER E RR MA
R
ME RT
INE LL EV LA
H I V IT VE R PE H A
RC LINE MA C
BO
IS
E R BON SA A EB
A
M SA I T DE CH MI
R
T TI A
DE
S PE ’AR L
L
DE
@ @ @
RÉPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE
PORT - AU - PRINCE
U U
LASCAHOBAS
SAINT - MARC
SAUT D'EAU
GONAÏVES
H H H

MIREBALAIS
FL
ITE
TO BOUCAN CARRÉ TO THOMONDE
E
UV
This municipality, which was originally devoted to cattle
ON
TO PÉLIGRE
TIB
AR
raising and then to growing indigo, cotton and coffee,
TI
AR
BO
E
NI
UV
TE
plays a strategic role in the Center-Artibonite project.
FLE
It constitutes the main crossroad between the Port-au-
CITY CENTER Prince/Cap Haïtien axis and the Saint-Marc/Belladère
line, and provides a connecting point between Saut-
TO PETITE RIVIÈRE d’Eau, Boucan Carré and Lascahobas.
TO SAINT-MARC
The road to Port-au-Prince was opened in 2010 and
MARKET the South-East by-pass is being built. Two development
TRADE AND zones could be installed in the direction of Saint-Marc,
TRANSPORT HUB and in particular, at the intersection of the roads leading
AREA FOR to Thomonde and Lascahobas/Belladère.
DEVELOPMENT This is the spot where a road to open up Boucan
40 ha Carré could be connected (line with a bridge over the
Artibonite river).
TO BELLADÈRE
PUBLIC TO RÉPUBLIQUE DOMINICAINE
FACILITIES CENTER As a crossroad city, it will be equipped with a major trade
AREA FOR CEMETERY and transport hub to facilitate travel to Port-au-Prince,
DEVELOPMENT
23 ha
Cap Haïtien, Saint-Marc and Belladère, as well as to the
Dominican Republic, including local trips to Boucan
Carré, Saut-d’Eau and the various communal sectors. GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
A junction city, its trade and transport hub will offer
a new location devoted to a market, a public facilities
center and a gas station.
Mirebalais is also host to facilities of regional importance
such as the EFACAP, the construction of the community
hospital, the project for a healthcare professions school,
the project for a water and sanitation training school and
200m the deployment of a waste processing center.
TO PORT-AU-PRINCE
In addition, each of the 4 communal sectors, along

with the city of Mirebalais, will be equipped with a
community life center including a stadium, a multimedia
center with electric power and access to computer and
communication technologies, as well as educational
facilities and a health unit.
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Mirebalais - THE CENTER PROVINCE

Unit cost Number Cost Financing
Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed - 89,000 inhabitants
- 330 square kilometers
Community Life Centers - Urban portion: 16,000 inhabitants
$865 000 5 $4 325 000 Financing needed
(one per communal sector)
- Overall density: 2.7 inhab/hectare
Legal viability and bases for economic To be financed
$220 000 63 $13 860 000 - Density in the center: 74.1 inhab/hectare
activities zones and phased in
Total $22 495 000

TO HINCHE
THOMONDE
Thomonde marks the entrance to the Central Plateau
after the Péligre dam and the site of the Cange hospital.
It is an agricultural municipality whose economy is based
AREA FOR on growing fruits, tobacco, coffee and sugar cane.
DEVELOPMENT
8 ha It is shaped as a very lengthy roadside city along the
CEMETERY CITY CENTER
TRADE AND Thomonde river. Its charm comes from its rural character
TRANSPORT HUB and low population density. Two areas for development
can be envisioned to the East, on the road to Mirebalais,
and to the West in the direction of Hinche.
A junction city on the Center-Artibonite loop, it will
be equipped with a trade and transport hub combining
H regional transportation lines (Port-au-Prince/Cap
HOSPITAL
Haïtien), local lines (links to the various communal
sectors and outlying municipalities), a market, public
facilities center and a gas station.
PUBLIC FACILITIES In addition, Thomonde’s 4 communal subdivisions will
CENTER
be equipped with a community life center including a
stadium, a multimedia center with electric power and GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
access to computer and communication technologies, as
well as educational facilities and a health unit.
The Artibonite 4C hydro-electric dam project and
AREA FOR the construction of an electric power grid to Hinche,
DEVELOPMENT Thomassique and the Dominican Republic will offer
7 ha improved access to electricity in the city. In the communal
sectors, the community life centers will offer this access
to electric power.
300m
TO MIREBALAIS
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Thomonde - THE CENTER PROVINCE

- 56,000 inhabitants
Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed
Community Life Centers
- Urban portion: 9,000 inhabitants
(one per communal sector) - Overall density: 1.6 inhab/hectare
Legal viability and bases for economic
$220 000 15 $3 300 000
To be financed - Density in the center: 16.6 inhab/hectare
Total $11 935 000

TO PIGNON
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
55 ha
HINCHE
Hinche is a large municipality and official seat of the
Center province. Disputed between Haiti and the
Dominican Republic, this city was declared to be Haitian
by the treaties of 1929 and 1936.
TRADE AND The city unites the broad farming and cattle raising plateau
TRANSPORT HUB of the central region. In addition to the Port-au-Prince/
Cap Haïtien road, it is also connected to Thomassique
VERS THOMASSIQUE
in the direction of the Dominican Republic and to
Maïssade in the direction of Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye.
To the north of the Guayamouc river, towards Pignon,
a large development zone could be deployed for setting
up food processing industries.
As a junction city of the Center-Artibonite loop at the

crossroads of National Highway 3 and the Saint-Michel/
Hinche/Thomassique/Cerca-la-Source/Dominican
Republic road, it will be equipped with a trade and
CITY CENTER transport hub combining regional transportation lines
(Port-au-Prince/Cap-Haïtien line), local transportation
lines (links with Maïssade, Thomassique, Cerca-la- GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
Source and the Dominican Republic, and with various
communal sectors), a market, public facilities center and
a gas station.
The city of Hinche and each of its 4 communal
subdivisions will be equipped with a community life center
including a stadium, a multimedia center with electric
power and access to computer and communication
technologies, as well as educational facilities and a health
unit.
The Artibonite 4C hydro-electric dam project and

the construction of an electric power grid to Hinche,
Thomassique and the Dominican Republic will offer
AIRPORT improved access to electricity in the city. In the communal
subdivisions, the community life centers will offer this
access to electric power.
Hinche also offers facilities of regional importance,

including the EFACAP, the Sainte-Thérèse hospital, a
vocational training center and the installation of a waste
processing center.
200m
TO THOMONDE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Hinche - THE CENTER PROVINCE

$865 000 5 $4 325 000 Financing needed - Urban portion: 32,000 inhabitants
Legal viability and bases for economic To be financed - Density in the center: 81.6 inhab/hectare
$220 000 55 $12 100 000
Total $20 735 000

AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
4 ha
MAÏSSADE
CITY CENTER Located at the core of the Center-Artibonite loop, Maïs-
sade is in the middle of the plateau, on the road from
TO SAINT-MICHEL Hinche to Saint-Michel.
DE L’ATTALAYE
The local economy is based on crops of sugar cane, cof-

fee, cotton and fruits. Cattle raising and honey gathering
are also found there. The creation of new hillside water
storage tanks will bring commercial value to the lands
and allow them to be worked all year round.
A small development zone on the road to Saint-Michel
may be implemented in order to install the social center
and required services.
Maïssade’s 3 communal subdivisions will be equipped

with a community life center including a stadium, a mul-
timedia center with electric power and access to compu-
ter and communication technologies, as well as educatio-
nal facilities and a health unit.
GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
CEMETERY
200m TO HINCHE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Maïssade - THE CENTER PROVINCE

Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed - 288 square kilometers
$865 000 3 $2 595 000 Financing needed - Overall density: 1.8 inhab/hectare
- Density in the center: 23.4 inhab/hectare
Total $6 905 000

TO SAINT-RAPHAËL
TO OUNAMINTHE PIGNON
CITY CENTER
TRADE AND Pignon marks the entrance to the North province on
TRANSPORT HUB
PUBLIC FACILITIES National Highway 3. Located at the heart of a sugar cane
CENTER producing region, the city is renown for its distilleries.
Pignon is the site of the sole agricultural machinery re-
CEMETERY pair shop, which supports the cane processing industry,
AREA FOR draught plowing and provides maintenance for the water
DEVELOPMENT pumps.
19 ha
To the north of the city, a development zone may be
deployed on the sides of the Saint-Raphael road in order
to set up food processing industries.
MARKET A junction city on the Center-Artibonite loop, it will

RI
regional transportation lines (Port-au-Prince/Cap Haï-
V
IE
H
RE
tien), local lines (links to Ouanaminthe and the Domini-
BO
HOSPITAL
UY
can Republic, and with the various communal sectors), a
AH
A
market, public facilities center and a gas station.
The city of Saint Raphaël and each of its 2 communal

sectors will also be equipped with a community life cen- GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
ter including a stadium, a multimedia center with elec-
tric power and access to computer and communication
unit.
The Bienfaisance hospital in Pignon, whose reputation

extends beyond the borders of the province, should be
upgraded following extension of its service area due to
improvements to the roads.
ME
RO
R OD
200m AE
TO HINCHE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Pignon - THE NORTH PROVINCE

Total $10 220 000

TO CAP HAÏTIEN
SAINT-RAPHAËL
Saint-Raphaël owes its reputation as the breadbasket of
BO
UY
the North to the fertility of the farming region around
AH
CITY CENTER A
RI
it. It has a variety of products (vegetables, carrots, rice,
VE
R onions, peppers, etc.) and improvement of the roads will
facilitate getting them to market.
To the west of the city, a development zone could be
deployed to create food
processing industries.
Located at the crossroads of National Highway 3 and
the road to Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye and the Artibonite,
its market is a renowned meeting place.
A junction city on the Center-Artibonite loop, it will be

equipped with a trade and transport hub combining re-
MARKET gional transportation lines (Port-au-Prince/Cap Haïtien
and Saint-Marc/Cap Haïtien lines), local lines (links to
the various communal sectors and various agricultural
sectors), a major regional market, public facilities center
CEMETERY and a gas station.
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
The city of Saint Raphaël and each of its 4 communal GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
11 ha subdivisions will also be equipped with a community
life center including a stadium, a multimedia center with
electric power and access to computer and communica-
tion technologies, as well as educational facilities and a
health unit.
PUBLIC FACILITIES TRADE AND
CENTER TRANSPORT HUB BRIDGE TO REALISE
RN3 project
TO PIGNON
R
IVE
HAR
YA
BOU
AL
CAN
200m TO SAINT-MICHEL
DE L’ATTALAYE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Saint Raphaël - THE NORTH PROVINCE
$220 000 11 $2 420 000
Total $11 055 000

TO ENNERY
CITY CENTER
SAINT-MICHEL DE L’ATTALAYE
Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye is a major crossroad, located
at the conjunction of the Artibonite, Center and North
provinces. It is at the hub of a star-shaped network
linking it to Ennery, Marmelade, Dondon, Saint-Raphaël,
Maïssade and Marchand Dessalines.
The creation of a by-pass road will allow the development

of a large development zone to the southwest of the city.
TO SAINT-RAPHAËL
MARKET
A junction city on the Center-Artibonite loop, at the
center of a vast agricultural plateau, it will be equipped
with a trade and transport hub combining regional
transportation lines (Saint-Marc/Cap Haïtien line), local
lines (links to Ennery, Marmelade, Dondon, Maïssade,
CEMETERY
and the 8 communal subdivisions), a market, public
facilities center and a gas station.
The city of Saint-Michel and each of its 8 communal

including a stadium, a multimedia center with electric GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
unit.
A project for a thermal electric plant should provide

greater access to electricity in the city. In the communal
sectors, the community life centers will offer this access
to electric power.
Saint-Michel is also the location of major regional

facilities, including an EFACAP project, a hospital
project and the ramping up of a regional public works
center, a vocational training center and the deployment
of a waste processing center.
TRADE AND In addition, the lands of Savane Diane could become

TRANSPORT HUB TO MAÏSSADE commercially exploitable via a large agricultural,
industrial and energy project.
PUBLIC FACILITIES
CENTER
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
30 ha
200m
TO MARCHAND DESSALINES
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Saint Michel de l'Attalaye - THE ARTIBONITE PROVINCE
activities zones
$220 000 30 $6 600 000
and phased in
- Density in the center: 109.4 inhab/hectare
Total $20 425 000

MARCHAND DESSALINES
TO L’ESTERE Marchand Dessalines is located at the foot of the
Montagnes Noires, in the western part of the Artibonite
river basin. The city’s economy is mainly based on
agriculture (coffee, rice, sorghum, beans, pigeon peas,
fruits and vegetables) and animal raising (cattle, horses,
goats, chickens and bees).
The city is marked by the role it played in Haiti’s history:

A battleground at the time of independence and capital
of the empire of James the 1st, it is surrounded by forts
classified as a national heritage.
At the intersection of the roads to L’Estère, Petite

CITY CENTER
Rivière de l’Artibonite and Saint-Michel de l’Attalaye, a
development zone could be deployed to set up factories.

TO SAINT-MICHEL be equipped with a trade and transport hub combining
regional transportation lines (Saint-Marc/Cap Haïtien,
Gonaïves/Belladère and Dominican Republic lines),
TRADE AND
local lines (links to the various communal sectors and GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
CEMETERY
TRANSPORT HUB various agricultural sectors), a market, public facilities
center and a gas station.
The city of Marchand Dessalines and each of its 6

communal sectors will be equipped with a community
life center including a stadium, a multimedia center
PUBLIC FACILITIES
with electric power and access to computer and
CENTER communication technologies, as well as educational
AREA FOR facilities and a health unit.
DEVELOPMENT
3 ha
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
25 ha
200m TO PETITE RIVIÈRE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Marchand Dessalines - THE ARTIBONITE PROVINCE
Total $16 525 000

TO MARCHAND DESSALINES PETITE RIVIÈRE DE L’ARTIBONITE
Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite is a major crossroads of
the Lower Artibonite. It also bears marks of the role
it played at the time of independence and its historical
landmarks (Fort at la Crête-à-Pierrot and the Palace with
365 Doors) require upkeep and renovations.
The construction of a bridge over the Artibonite and

a direct link to the Saint-Marc/Mirebalais road will
provide an opportunity to create a large development
CEMETERY zone on the left bank of the Artibonite.
A junction city of the Center-Artibonite loop, at the

center of the Lower Artibonite’s irrigation system
and rice paddies, it will be equipped with a trade and
transport hub combining regional transportation lines
H (Saint-Marc/Cap Haïtien, Gonaïves/Belladère and
HOSPITAL
Dominican Republic lines), local lines (links to the
communal sectors), a market, public facilities center and
a gas station.
The city of Petite Rivière and each of its 6 communal GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
PUBLIC FACILITIES including a stadium, a multimedia center with electric
CENTER
unit.
Petite Rivière will also host major regional facilities,

TO PONT
SONDÉ
including an EFACAP project, a vocational training
center and the deployment of a waste processing center
TRADE AND AREA FOR
TRANSPORT HUB DEVELOPMENT in Marin.
73 ha
TO DESARMES
500m
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite - THE ARTIBONITE PROVINCE
Total $26 425 000

TO PETITE RIVIÈRE
DISTRICT OF DESARMES VERRETTES

A district of Verrettes, Désarmes is located along the
Saint-Marc to Pont Sondé road, on the left bank of the
Artibonite.
The local economy is based on crops of limes, coffee
and rice.
At the south end of the district, a development zone

could be implemented to expand the city.
regional transportation lines (Saint-Marc/Dominican
Republic, Gonaïves/Dominican Republic lines), local
lines (links to the various communal sectors and various
agricultural sectors), a market, public facilities center and
a gas station.
The district of Désarmes, as well as the city of Verrettes

H and each of its 4 communal subdivisions, will also be
HOSPITAL equipped with a community life center including a
stadium, a multimedia center with electric power and GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
CEMETERY access to computer and communication technologies, as
well as educational facilities and a health unit.
TRADE AND
TRANSPORT HUB
PUBLIC FACILITIES
CENTER
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
200m 57 ha
TO LA CHAPELLE
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Verrettes - THE ARTIBONITE PROVINCE

MUNICIPALITY OF VERRETTES
Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed - 131,000 inhabitants (municipality of Verrettes)
- 9,514 inhabitants (district of Désarmes)
Community Life Centers - 356 square kilometers (municipality of Verrettes)
(one per communal sector) - 2.5 square kilometers (district of Désarmes)
Legal viability and bases for economic
$220 000 57 $12 540 000
To be financed - Urban portion: 38,000 inhabitants
activities zones and phased in (Verrettes, Liancourt, Désarmes)
Total $22 905 000 - Density of Désarmes: 37.0 inhab/hectare
74 Facilities proposed forM ORR

CIAT - HA Ï TI TO theOW
municipality ofRTLa
- TH E C ENTE R-A IB OChapelle
NIT E LO O P THE PROJECTS 75
TO DESARMES
LA CHAPELLE
La Chapelle is located in the rolling hills of the left bank
of the Artibonite river. The local economy depends
basically on the production of vegetables.
A development zone could be created to expand the

city by constructing a second district to the east of the
present city center, on the road to Mirebalais.

regional transportation lines (Saint-Marc/Dominican
Republic, Gonaïves/Dominican Republic lines), local
lines (links to the various communal sectors and various
agricultural sectors), a market, public facilities center and
CITY CENTER a gas station.
TRADE AND The city of La Chapelle and each of its 2 communal

CEMETERY TRANSPORT HUB subdivisions will be equipped with a community life center
including a stadium, a multimedia center with electric
PUBLIC FACILITIES power and access to computer and communication
CENTER technologies, as well as educational facilities and a health GREEN SPACES / BUILT AREAS
MARKET unit.
TO MIREBALAIS
L
NA
CA
AREA FOR
DEVELOPMENT
31 ha
200m
Facilities proposed for the municipality of La Chapelle - THE ARTIBONITE PROVINCE

$220 000 31 $6 820 000
Total $13 725 000

BOUCAN CARRÉ - THE CENTER PROVINCE
Boucan Carré is located between the Montagnes Noires
and the Artibonite river. - 51,000 inhabitants
A small development zone could be implemented on - Urban portion: 3,000 inhabitants
the road to Mirebalais to create a trade and transport - Overall density: 1.4 inhab/hectare
hub, local transportation links (links to the various - Density in the center: 7.1 inhab/hectare
communal sectors and the various agricultural sectors),
a market, public facilities center and a gas station.
Boucan Carré’s 3 communal subdivisions will also be AREA FOR Facilities proposed for the municipality of Boucan Carré
equipped with a community life center including a DEVELOPMENT
stadium, a multimedia center with electric power and 3 ha Unit cost Number Cost Financing
access to computer and communication technologies, Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed
as well as educational facilities and a health unit.
TO MIREBALAIS Community Life Centers
TRADE AND
TRANSPORT HUB
400m Total $7 770 000
LASCAHOBAS - THE CENTER PROVINCE
Located on the road from Mirebalais to Belladère, TRADE AND

TRANSPORT HUB
Lascahobas could host a small development zone around - 225 square kilometers
a trade and transport hub that would combine a market, - Urban portion: 8,100 inhabitants
a bus station and public facilities center.
Each of the 3 communal subdivisions would also be - Density in the center: 95.8 inhab/hectare
equipped with a community life center, including a
stadium, media center, educational facilities and a health
unit.
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Lascahobas
AREA FOR Unit cost Number Cost Financing
DEVELOPMENT
5 ha Commerce & Transport Center $4 310 000 1 $4 310 000 Financing needed

200m Total $7 770 000
SAUT D’EAU - THE CENTER PROVINCE
The municipality of Saut-d’Eau is known for its waterfall - 38,000 inhabitants

and the festival of Notre-Dame du Mont Carmel, which - 179 square kilometers
draw an impressive number of visitors. - Urban portion: 4,100 inhabitants
A development zone incorporating a market and a bus - Density in the center: 19.2 inhab/hectare
station would provide improved services for the pilgrims.
The creation of a community life center in each of the
4 communal subdivisions would bring services closer to
the population groups.
Facilities proposed for the municipality of Saut d'Eau
TRADE AND
AREA FOR TRANSPORT HUB Community Life Centers
DEVELOPMENT
3 ha
200m Total $8 635 000

LOWER CENTRAL PLATEAU

(MIREBALAIS)
Renovation of 100 km of farm roads MTPTC
Contracting
Authority
$
Investment
40 000 000,00
INVESTMENTS BY
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR THE INVESTMENT PLAN
Construction of duty-free zone (legal status and
MTPTC/local author. $ 13 860 000,00
63 ha base) In addition to renovating the secondary INSTALLATIONS FOR THE ENTIRE CENTER-ARTIBONITE LOOP
Waste collection for the sector of Mirebalais (9
Local authorities $ 250 000,00 road system, we propose setting up
collection points) waste management interventions in the
Waste processing center in Mirebalais Local authorities $ 1 250 000,00 various sectors of the Center-Artibonite
loop. This is part of an extension of
Community hospital in Mirebalais Zami Lasanté Accounted for the activities undertaken in terms of ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS Investment Funding
Upgrading of the EFACAP in Mirebalais MinEd Accounted for public health by the DINEPA, which RN3 Hinche - Cap Haïtien (Barrière Battant) Accounted for EDF / AFD
is developing priority projects for each The construction of the backbone network
Social centers/Community Life centers Local authorities $ 40 580 000,00 Las Cahobas - Belladère - Dominican
of the 10 cities on the loop to improve under the contracting authority of the MTPTC Republic
Accounted for EDF
access to drinking water and sanitation. is a prerequisite for development in this region. Financing
UPPER CENTRAL PLATEAU Contracting Saint-Raphaël - Saint-Michel $ 15 300 000,00
Investment Given projects already under way, the cost of needed
(HINCHE) Authority In each sector, there will also be a need Financing
the segments required to complete the loop is Saint-Michel - Marchand-Dessalines $ 38 000 000,00
needed
Renovation of 300 km of farm roads MTPTC $ 120 000 000,00 to define actions for the protection and estimated to be US74.5 million.
restoration of soils, for which a budget Financing
Construction of duty-free zone (legal status and Marchand-Dessalines - Petite Rivière $ 21 200 000,00
MTPTC/local author. $ 19 580 000,00 needed
89 ha base) of US$10 million should allow one The secondary road from Saint-Michel to the Marchand-Dessalines - L’Estère Accounted for FER
Waste collection for the sector of Hinche (6
Local authorities $ 300 000,00 to achieve results on the high-priority Dominican Republic via Maïssade, Hinche and
collection points) watersheds. Pont Sondé - Mirebalais Accounted for FER
Thomassique is estimated to cost US$ 55.6
Waste processing center in Hinche Local authorities $ 1 250 000,00 million. Financing
Saint-Michel - Maïssade - Hinche $ 29 700 000,00
The four sectors will also receive needed
Upgrading of the hospital in Cange Zami Lasanté Accounted for assistance in terms of health and Hinche - Thomassique - Dominican Republic $ 25 900 000,00
Financing
educational facilities. needed
Upgrading of the Sainte-Thérèse hospital in
MinHealth Accounted for Saut d'Eau - Lafito Accounted for CNE
Hinche
Upgrading of the Bienfaisance hospital in
PFH Accounted for
In terms of urban facilities, for each of Regional Public Works Center Accounted for
Pignon the 14 cities on the loop, we propose to
Upgrading of the EFACAP in Hinche MinEd Accounted for build a social services center equipped
Hillside lake and irrigation (e.g. 20 ha lake) Local community $ 320 000,00 with the following facilities:
market, bus station, gas station and multi-
Social centers/Community Life centers Local authorities $ 25 905 000,00
media center. ELECTRIC POWER ELECTRIC POWER Investment Funding
UPPER ARTIBONITE Contracting Vertical extension of the dike on the Péligre
Investment $ 20 000 000,00 IDB
(ST-MICHEL) Authority In all 58 communal sectors of the 14 Except for the large Artibonite 4C project, all dam
Renovation of 250 km of farm roads MTPTC $ 100 000 000,00

municipalities directly linked to the of the actions proposed remain to be financed: Artibonite 4C dam (Design-Construction-
$ 180 000 000,00
Brazil + others
Center-Artibonite loop project, we US$44 million in investments for the new micro Operation-Maintenance) to be found
Construction of duty-free zone (legal status and Financing
41 ha base)
MTPTC/local author. $ 9 020 000,00 propose to construct a community life generating plants and approximately US$5 Renovation of the plant in Drouet $ 2 300 000,00
needed
Waste collection for the sector of Saint-Michel center based on the following facilities: million for renovation of the existing plants. Financing
Local authorities $ 250 000,00 Sports installation (stadium and showers), Renovation of the plant in Délugé $ 1 900 000,00
(4 collection points) needed
Waste processing center in Saint-Michel de educational facilities (6 classrooms of 40 It should be noted that the chain for commercial Renovation of the plant in Onde Verte $ 1 000 000,00
Financing
Local authorities $ 2 000 000,00
l'Attalaye m2 + 300 m2 field), Health Unit (3 rooms exploitation of biomass (sugar cane waste) needed
Community hospital in Saint-Michel de
MinHealth Accounted for
of 40 m2), electricity for the isolated would also enable the production of energy for Construction of a generating plant for the
$ 4 000 000,00
Financing
spillway at the Caneau dam needed
l’Attalaye communal relays (28 photovoltaic panels). the agro-industries. Interconnection of the plants to the grid Financing
Creation of an EFACAP in Saint-Michel MinEd Accounted for $ 460 000,00
(per plant) needed
Hillside lake and irrigation (e.g. 20 ha lake) Local community $ 320 000,00
Lastly, certain actions will serve to Financing
Deployment of the grid Accounted for
promote economic development: needed
Project for biomass generating plant in Savane
Diane
Agro-industries $ 65 000 000,00 - legal sanction for and construction of Project for micro generating plants at Voûte,
$ 10 000 000,00
Financing
Agro-industries/Energy the bases for the duty-free zones; Minguet and Bouyaha needed
Industrial plants for processing sugar cane $ 85 000 000,00 - irrigation projects (the tables show the Project for micro generating plants at Granan Financing
sector $ 10 000 000,00
Improvement of thermal performance of small cost for a hillside water storage tank, but and Guape needed
Energy sector $ 8 000 000,00 Project for micro generating plants at Roche Financing
plants this type of construction should be done Rameau and Platana
$ 10 000 000,00
needed
Social centers/Community Life centers Local authorities $ 27 635 000,00 in the region as widely as possible).
Project for micro generating plants at Bassin Financing
$ 10 000 000,00
Laurent and Attalaye needed
LOWER ARTIBONITE Contracting To make all of these actions a reality,
Investment
(PETITE RIVIERE) Authority investment budgets will be needed for
Renovation of 150 km of farm roads MTPTC $ 60 000 000,00 developing agricultural credit (US$20
Construction of duty-free zone (legal status and
million) and the establishment of a land
189 ha base)
MTPTC/local author.

$ 41 580 000,00
survey and registry, especially in the urban TRAINING, CULTURE, TRAINING, CULTURE, HERITAGE Contracting Authority
Waste collection for the sector of Petite Rivière sections (US$14 million). HERITAGE Healthcare sector vocational training center (Mirebalais) MinHealth
(7 collection points)
Local authorities
$ 450 000,00
Local authorities The table below recapitulates the projects Water sector vocational training center (Mirebalais) DINEPA
Waste processing plant at Marin (Petite Rivière) $ 1 000 000,00
already adopted by the government in terms Construction trades professional training center (Hinche)
MTPTC - Public works
Upgrading of the Claire Heureuse hospital in
Marchand Dessalines
MinHealth Accounted for of facilities devoted to training, as well as two companies
actions to add commercial value to the natural Agronomy professional training center (Saint-Michel) MinAgr&Rural Dev.
Upgrading of the Albert Schweitzer hospital in
Deschapelles
HAS Accounted for and historical heritage of the region. The figures
for these projects have not been calculated as Renovation of the Palace with 365 Doors, Petite Rivière
ISPAN
Creation of an EFACAP in Petite Rivière MinEd Accounted for de l'Artibonite
part of this study, since they will be provided Delimitation of the National Historic Park of the
Social centers/Community Life centers Local authorities $ 33 690 000,00 directly by the projects’ organizers. Citadelle, World Heritage Site (UNESCO)
ISPAN

Pg/81
GOVERNANCE GLOSSARY
The loop covers, from the point of view of AFD: Agence Française de Développement [French Agency for Development]
territorial management, areas that are legally and IDB: InterAmerican Development Bank
DINEPA: National Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation
administratively under the purview of other entities: EFACAP: Basic-Level Teacher Training School and Educational Support Center
the 14 municipalities and 58 communal subdivisions EMDH : Hinche Mid-Level School of Agriculture
on or within the loop are located in three provinces EDF: European Development Fund
(North, Artibonite and Center) and seven districts. FER: Fonds d’Entretien Routier [Highway Maintenance Fund]
Some municipalities destined to play a major role GDS: Gestion des Déchets Solides [Solid Waste Management]
(Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Saint-Michel de HIMO: High-Intensity Manual Labor
MinHealth: Ministry of Public Health and Population
l’Attalaye) are not the administrative seats of their MTPTC: Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communication
district. Inter-municipal cooperation will be the most BCO: Baseline Community Organisation
suitable means of bringing coherence to the actions NPET: National Program for Education and Training
for establishing and managing the loop. Four centers NHP: National Historic Park
have been designated: Mirebalais, Saint-Michel de UNDP: United Nations Development Program
l’Attalaye, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Hinche. UNPE: United Nations Environment Program
UNAP: Université Autonome de Port-au-Prince
These four centers will play a leadership role in the UNESCO: United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization
operation. UPAG: Université Publique de l’Artibonite aux Gonaïves [Public University of the Artibonite in Gonaïves]
Establishment of the loop will require strong political

support that will first have to come from the national
government and will imply, in practice, negotiations
in terms of budget allocation. Fiscal measures must
be developed to provide for the recurrent costs of
the infrastructure: road maintenance, building
maintenance, operation of facilities, additional civil
servants. Project proposal produced by:
Deconcentration and decentralization will be the

key words. Civil servants from the national level will
need to be redeployed to operate the facilities and the Comité Interministériel d’Aménagement
loop may be seen as a test case for regional civil service du Territoire [Inter-Ministerial Commis-
operations. Local administrations will have to ramp sion for Infrastructure Development]
up to define new game rules, especially concerning
building codes for the urban and rural areas, as well
as enforcement of those codes.
Lastly, the administrative mapping of the loop will
have to be redrawn with a constant eye toward
the efficiency, balance and sustainability of these
boundaries so that the areas to be administered cease
to vary in scope. Territorial management also involves
managing land ownership: at minimum, survey and with the assistance of :
registry for urbanized areas and their immediate Bernard Reichen
surroundings are an essential part of orienting the Architect-Urban Planner
growth of hamlets and cities. Reichen et Robert & Associés
SETEC
Every effort should be made to assist local businesses Engineering firm
and attract capital from other regions of the country
or from abroad. Alfred Peter
Landscape designer
Project proposal financed

by the World Bank
82 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P

GOVERNMENT OF HAITI
Inter-Ministerial Committee For Territorial Development

Boucle Centre Artibonite (English Version)

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CAP HAÏTIEN

ROUTE DE MIREBALAIS À THOMONDE

4 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P INTRODUCTION 5

The Center-Artibonite loop is designed to

The Center-Artibonite loop has been desig-

Completing the existing network of roads

6 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 7

Miragoâne Grand Goâve

8 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 9

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TERRITORY

This is the great challenge of a project based on a triple approach:

10 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 11

12 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 13

Highway 7 m wide, equipped with ditches, bridges/culverts and pedestrian

The key role played by the loop itself in structuring

Highway 6 m wide, equipped with ditches and bridges/culverts A SECONDARY ROUTE :

This is a very dense network: more than 1,500 km

14 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 15

LIMBE FORT LIBERTE

ACTIONS BEING IMPLEMENTED/ACTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN

18 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE ROAD 19

The primary-growth forest, dominated by

Transformation of this agricultural landscape

20 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 21

COTE DES ARCADINS

22 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 23

VULNERABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Watershed of the Estère

Watershed of the Artibonite

24 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 25

26 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 27

ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

CAFE AGRUMES This territory could well be described as a zone split

28 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 29

IRRIGATION AND DRINKING WATER

In Haiti, water is simultaneously an opportunity, a Developing hillside reservoirs and

30 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 31

The Lower Artibonite network Solar energy

32 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 33

34 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE LAND 35

The loop offers a new balance between

The cities can become a worthwhile

36 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 37

38 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 39

Slow traffic lane High-speed traffic lane

Slow traffic lane High-speed traffic lane

40 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 41

HYGIENE AND WASTE

44 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 45

46 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 47

The system suffers from a lack of standards and control

48 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 49

50 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PEOPLE 51

These projects cover all of the areas of

They are subsequently broken down by

52 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PROJECTS 53

New urban “unit”

@ Media center and new technologies

54 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PROJECTS 55

In addition, each of the 4 communal sectors, along

Facilities proposed for the municipality of Mirebalais - THE CENTER PROVINCE

Total $22 495 000

56 CIAT - HA Ï TI TO M ORR OW - TH E C ENTE R-A RT IB O NIT E LO O P THE PROJECTS 57