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FFTP, Taiwan ICDF Expand Rice Project to Help Haitian Families Strengthen Food Security
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 6, 2026) — Families in southern Haiti are gaining new tools to grow more food, earn more income and strengthen local agriculture through a partnership that combines climate-smart technology with a sustainable, farmer-led approach to rice production.
FFTP, the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), and WES TRADE are expanding their partnership designed to increase rice production while creating new opportunities to process, brand, market and sell locally grown rice.
“This partnership is about helping families create lasting stability,” said FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine. “By investing in local farmers, better tools and stronger market opportunities, we are helping communities grow food, earn income and build resilience in difficult conditions.”
Working through local farmer associations, the partners are equipping farmers with training, improved seed, and access to drying fields, rice mills, warehouses and processing facilities. They also are strengthening local organizations by supporting production loans, expanding market opportunities and adopting climate-smart farming practices that improve yields and protect crops from increasingly unpredictable weather.
“This is not a gift,” said Jacques Liu, TaiwanICDF project manager. “We provide seeds, fertilizer and technical support through the farmers’ association, and after harvest they return most of the value so the next farmers can benefit. That is very different from simply giving things away. It creates responsibility and sustainability.”
As part of the project, two IRRIGOPTIMAL® systems developed by WES TRADE allow farmers to monitor weather and soil conditions in real time. Using sensors, weather stations, and AI-supported software, the system provides information that helps improve irrigation decisions, reduce losses, and protect crops from disease and extreme weather. IRRIGOPTIMAL® has been implemented in several countries and is recognized as an innovative climate-smart farming solution.
“Climate change has made farming much more difficult,” said Kho Taiwe, TaiwanICDF agricultural technology specialist. “Before, we didn’t have reliable weather data. Now we can analyze rainfall and other conditions and provide farmers with better advice about irrigation, fertilizer and planting decisions.”
This year, approximately 150 farmers will receive training while cultivating 25 hectares of rice across two growing seasons, producing an estimated 200 tons of paddy rice and approximately 100 tons of white rice. At the same time, local farmer associations are strengthening the business systems needed to purchase, process, brand, market and sell rice independently.
“Our goal is not only to grow more rice,” Liu said. “We want these farmer associations to become strong organizations that can provide services, sell fertilizer, offer loans and help neighboring farmers. That is how communities become stronger.”
Designed for long-term success, the project enables farmer associations to generate income through rice sales and equipment rentals, creating locally managed organizations that can continue growing and serving their communities well into the future. The initiative is also creating new opportunities for Haitian-grown rice to supply school feeding and community programs while reducing dependence on imported food.
“This is about much more than one harvest,” Raine said. “It’s about helping families strengthen their livelihoods and helping communities build a more secure future.”
FFTP and TaiwanICDF have worked together in Haiti for nearly two decades. Since 2007, the Taiwanese government has provided regular rice donations that have helped feed thousands of children and families while advancing FFTP’s mission to transform lives.
Earlier this year, FFTP announced the signing of an agreement with the Republic of China (Taiwan) to receive 8,208 metric tons of rice for distribution throughout 2026. The lifesaving donation is being shipped in monthly increments through December, with adjustments based on shipping availability and local conditions. In total, 456 containers of rice will provide essential food assistance to families in need.
“Alongside emergency food assistance, we’re creating opportunities that can benefit Haitian families for generations while supporting a stronger, more resilient food system,” Raine said.
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, is committed to facilitating paths out of poverty and transforming lives. As an interdenominational Christian ministry, we help families across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our efforts span urgent humanitarian relief and long-term development – from emergency aid and hunger alleviation to education, housing, and economic empowerment. We follow a distinctive approach that integrates faith, multi-sector strategies, and trusted partnerships. Whenever possible, we strive to work at the community level, partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create sustainable solutions that address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.
Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]
