Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis Toolkit

When a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, an estimated 220,000 people died, and a further 1.5 million people were displaced. This case study looks at the EMMA that was undertaken in Haiti three weeks after the earthquake and the emergency responses implemented as a result by both the IRC and Oxfam, before sharing key successes and lessons learned about how to make EMMAs as effective as possible.

In August and September 2008, Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere was struck by three tropical storms. 86,000 people are now living in temporary shelters. Livelihoods and crops have been destroyed, and the entire road system has been severely damaged. This study was a pilot of the nascent EMMA approach with the dual purpose of better understanding critical market systems (beans and timber) for the population affected by the cyclones and gaining learning that could be used to improve the toolkit itself. The report recommends the direct purchase of timber from regional traders for delivery to beneficiary sites. It may be worth investigating a voucher-system instead of an in-kind distribution, which would need to be supported with trader transportation of timber directly to their households. Also recommended is additional research and cross-checking with the Shelter Cluster, government stakeholders and affected communities. Recommendations for the bean market system include cash-based interventions to increase the purchasing power of target beneficiaries; the provision of local and/or well-adapted bean seeds to farmers in time for agricultural production for the next season and supporting them with vegetable nurseries; the supply of credit to farmers to restore productive assets/infrastructure; the supply of credit to wholesalers whose stores were destroyed; market support activities to improve market system performance and monitoring and phase out of food aid activities.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Approximately 692,000 people have been displaced in Port au Prince, many of whom are living in spontaneous urban camps. This EMMA study was conducted about four weeks after the earthquake, focusing on the market system for rice, Haiti's staple food, and the earthquake-affected population in Port-au-Prince. To help restore rice markets while meeting the affected population's food needs, this report recommends ensuring transparency and communication between market actors and the humanitarian community; enhancing market-place security; targeted, diversified food distribution; monitoring market recovery and potential bottlenecks; simultaneous Cash-for-Work and Food-for-Work programs; and unconditional cash transfers to households and most affected market chain actors, particularly small wholesalers.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Up to 230,000 people died country-wide in the quake, and another 300,000 were injured. 180,000 to 300,000 households in Port-au-Prince (900,000 to 1.5 million persons) are estimated to have become IDPs as a result of housing destruction. This EMMA study focused on the market system for corrugated galvanized iron, a key material for housing reconstruction. To re-establish a flow along the supply chain ensuring income opportunities and CGI availability at all levels, a multifaceted approach that integrates the following elements is recommended: CGI vouchers to vulnerable households, redeemable at neighborhood hardware retailers; distribution of building material to very vulnerable HH who have limited mobility; cash grants for neighborhood retailers to rehabilitate shops and re-start business activities; facilitating small retailers' access to stocks; and advocating on behalf of market-based interventions to the international community.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Up to 230,000 people died country-wide in the quake, and another 300,000 were injured. Approximately 800,000 have been displaced in Port au Prince, many of whom are living in spontaneous urban camps. This EMMA study focused on the construction labor market system in Port-au-Prince. Recommendations for demand-side responses include improving communication to the public on government support for rubble removal,property rights, building permits and zoning; improving access to credit for construction for both households and businesses; and building social housing. Supply-side responses recommended include NGO-run short-term skills trainings targeting future masons, carpenters and electricians; physical rehabilitation of training institutions; capacity building of management, faculty, and staff of training institutions; and organizing apprenticeships and facilitation of trainees' entry into the market. Finally, the report recommends a number of interventions intended to improve job placement services and improving construction-related laws and regulations.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Up to 230,000 people died country-wide in the quake, and another 300,000 were injured. Approximately 800,000 have been displaced in Port au Prince, many of whom are living in spontaneous urban camps. This EMMA study focused on the construction labor market system in Port-au-Prince. Recommendations for demand-side responses include improving communication to the public on government support for rubble removal,property rights, building permits and zoning; improving access to credit for construction for both households and businesses; and building social housing. Supply-side responses recommended include NGO-run short-term skills trainings targeting future masons, carpenters and electricians; physical rehabilitation of training institutions; capacity building of management, faculty, and staff of training institutions; and organizing apprenticeships and facilitation of trainees' entry into the market. Finally, the report recommends a number of interventions intended to improve job placement services and improving construction-related laws and regulations.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Up to 230,000 people died country-wide in the quake, and another 300,000 were injured. Approximately 800,000 have been displaced in Port au Prince, many of whom are living in spontaneous urban camps. This EMMA study focused on the beans market system in Port-au-Prince. It recommends stimulating demand through cash transfers or vouchers, repairing the port to allow for trade, implementing cash for work projects to repair infrastructure and damaged roads, paying trader debts, transferring cash to farmers for seed purchase and increasing market security. Only if programs to restore the market chain fail should food aid be considered.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the island of Haiti, approximately 25 km west of Port au Prince. Up to 230,000 people died country-wide in the quake, and another 300,000 were injured. Approximately 800,000 have been displaced in Port au Prince, many of whom are living in spontaneous urban camps. This EMMA study focused on the beans market system in Port-au-Prince. It recommends stimulating demand through cash transfers or vouchers, repairing the port to allow for trade, implementing cash for work projects to repair infrastructure and damaged roads, paying trader debts, transferring cash to farmers for seed purchase and increasing market security. Only if programs to restore the market chain fail should food aid be considered.

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, killing an estimated 222,653 people and wounding an additional 310,000. The Sud-Est (Southeast) department was one of the worst hit areas. This assessment analyzes the market system for beans in the Sud-Est department of Haiti in March-April 2010. Recommended short-term interventions include seed distributions, scaling down food distributions and cash-based programs to improve the buying power of affected households. Longer-term recommended interventions for improving the overall function of the beans market to mitigate future disruptions include laying the foundation for a functioning private-sector seed system, working with existing or new institutions to provide financial services appropriate for agriculture, working with authorities to approve security at key market places and undertaking disaster risk reduction measures such as improving storage and preservation of surplus harvests.