USAID CBJ FY 2002: Dominican Republic

Summary: Hurricane Georges ravaged the Dominican Republic for twelve hours in September 1998, causing more than $2.2 billion in economic damage. Flooding killed more than 280 people and left more than 300,000 homeless. The hurricane destroyed rural water systems, greatly reduced agricultural production capability, interrupted power supplies (some permanently), and caused widespread damage to the environment. Health risks increased dramatically, especially for children, since post-hurricane conditions were ideal to spread air and water-born disease. Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR) institutions were neither equipped nor prepared to provide the necessary humanitarian nor reconstruction assistance that the situation demanded.

The key components of this activity are: 1) mitigate health risks; 2) restore shelter; 3) restore food supplies; 4) reactivate economic activities; and 5) help Dominicans take the necessary preparatory measures to mitigate the effects of future natural disasters. This activity supports U.S. national interests under the humanitarian response and economic development goal areas.

Key Results: Of the $29 million received from the supplemental Central American and Caribbean Emergency Disaster Relief Fund (CACEDRF), 96% has been committed and nearly half of these committed funds have been expended. USAID continues its coordinating role with the nine other U.S. agencies that received supplemental CACEDRF resources.

USAID met its health risks mitigation target by repairing 70 water systems and re-establishing access to sanitation systems for 137,000 Dominicans in communities most severely affected by Hurricane Georges, including those in more than 80 bateys (communities where sugar used to be grown and processed).

Shelter restoration targets for 2000 were exceeded by 390 homes. USAID has repaired, fortified or constructed a cumulative total of 5,390 homes via a U.S. non-governmental organization (NGO) that sub-grants to Dominican NGOs. USAID efforts to ensure that all homes have access to water and sanitation services helped convince the GODR to provide $2.5 million to fund basic infrastructure development at new urbanization sites.

Agricultural rehabilitation assistance surpassed the target by 500 small farmers. More than 10,500 farmers benefited from USAID assistance via ten NGOs that improved livestock quality and agricultural productivity of key cash crops (e.g., coffee, cocoa, and plantains). This figure represents a 100% increase over the number of farmers assisted in 1999. Through a USAID-funded Participating Agency Service Agreement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's $16 million 416(b) reconstruction initiative is helping more than 60,000 Dominican farmers restore production.

Disaster mitigation activities exceeded expectations in assisting Dominicans restore and safeguard their productive assets against future natural disasters. USAID exceeded its soil stabilization hectare target of 2,700 by 194 hectares. Through a partnership that included a U.S. private voluntary organization and private-sector participation, more than 10,000 Dominicans have restored, reliable and more disaster-resistant electrical service in an area that suffered severe damage. This partnership is helping to restore economic opportunities in this disadvantaged region, as demonstrated by the construction of a cold storage facility that processes $2,500 of fresh fish daily. Finally, USAID trained and assisted more than 2,800 Dominican microentrepreneurs (of which 67% were women) in 44 communities, exceeding the 2000 target by 200%.

Performance and Prospects: The Hurricane Georges Reconstruction Special Objective is meeting expectations and is expected to achieve all results by December 31, 2001.

USAID will continue to collaborate with local and international NGOs to help the Dominican Water Authority (INAPA) adopt a public-private sector partnership model, based on a total community participation (TCP) model, that empowers local communities to manage and operate their own water and sanitation systems. The pilot activity will help demonstrate the feasibility and desirability of this type of partnership. USAID will help INAPA incorporate the community-based Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses and the TCP models into national policy.

In the housing sector, USAID will focus on four new urbanization sites for hurricane victims who cannot return to their former locations. In San Juan de la Maguana, the area most affected by flooding, approximately 130 new houses (25-square meter starter homes built on donated land) with indoor plumbing and electricity have been completed. The remaining three housing urbanization projects are scheduled to start in April 2001.

USAID is building on lessons learned from Hurricane Georges to address environmental concerns and improve the civil defense system's ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to disasters. The focus is on better coordination and preparation at the national level and on efforts to reduce vulnerabilities at the community level. Improved soil management approaches, including reforestation, are now practiced on 2,894 hectares of vulnerable hillsides and the U.S. Forest Service is assisting the new Ministry of Environment to prepare for forest fires and improve forestry management. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is working with GODR authorities to produce flood risk maps for several vulnerable areas and to establish a dam safety inspection program. Finally, USAID is helping the Civil Defense Agency and the Secretariat of Health implement a pilot disaster management logistics system in two provinces.

USAID is also coordinating U.S. inter-agency team efforts in helping the GODR develop an improved national disaster management system. At the national level, the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have assisted the Civil Defense Agency to establish a modern Emergency Operation Center. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has completed a plan to improve the meteorological component of the early warning system and has prepared a decision-making model for emergency reservoir management. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing disaster-resistant construction guidelines and training local engineers on assessment of critical buildings. The U.S. Geological Service (USGS) has reprogrammed activities to accommodate an urgent request from the Ministry of Environment in assessing a contaminated mine site that threatens communities and fisheries downstream. On a local level, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), USACE, and OFDA are providing risk maps, technical assistance, and training to communities in preparation and response, incorporating the private sector. USAID, HUD, and NIST are developing manuals and training in improved techniques for disaster resistant, low-income housing.

Other Donor Programs: The Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Union, Spain, and the United Nations.

Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: In addition to the U.S. Government Agencies listed above (USACE, FEMA, NOAA, NIST, USGS, and HUD), other U.S. grantees and contractors include: Cooperative Housing Foundation, National Rural Electrification Cooperative Association, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, Food for the Hungry, Save the Children, and the American Red Cross. Local organizations include: the Dominican Disaster Mitigation Association, the Technology Institute of Santo Domingo, and numerous local NGOs. International organizations include: the Pan American Health Organization, International Resource Group, John Snow International, and the World Food Program.

Dominican Republic 517-005

U.S. Financing

(In thousands of dollars)

	Obligations		Expenditures		Unliquidated
Through September 30, 1999	1,500	DA	186	DA	1,314	DA
	6,000	CSD	813	CSD	5,187	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	29,000	CACEDRF	17	CACEDRF	28,983	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Fiscal Year 2000	0	DA	558	DA
	0	CSD	3,286	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF	9,283	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA
Through September 30, 2000	1,500	DA	744	DA	756	DA
	6,000	CSD	4,099	CSD	1,901	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	29,000	CACEDRF	9,300	CACEDRF	19,700	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Prior Year Unobligated Funds	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
			Future Obligations		Est. Total Cost
Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA	0	DA	0	DA	1,500	DA
	0	CSD	0	CSD	6,000	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF	0	CACEDRF	29,000	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA

Dominican Republic

Activity Data Sheet

Dominican Republic 517-005

U.S. Financing