Determinants Of Aid Effectiveness In Agriculture: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) In Haiti

For years, scholars have investigated the effectiveness of aid dollars. Some
scholars measure aid effectiveness at the country level in terms of achieving good
governance, promoting democratic accountability, accomplishing growth goals, or
attaining macroeconomic goals. This study looks at the aid flowing through nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs). It posits that effective aid consists of resources and
processes that promote sustainability. It attempts to uncover the meaning of
sustainability for the NGOs and recipients that are involved in agriculture while
surveying how the aid process works. It looks at NGOs and recipients, resource flow, and
activities, and sought to understand the elements that could render aid more or less
effective in achieving sustainability in agricultural sectors. This study uses a qualitative
case study research strategy that focused on developing theory/hypotheses grounded in
the data and the literature (Agranoff, Radin, & Perry, 1991). This approach is adopted because (a) the
meaning and promotion of sustainability is a complex topic, (b) aid effectiveness is a
multi-faceted puzzle, (c) NGOs represent a diverse group, (d) the collaborative process is
complicated, and (e) the context (Haiti) is a challenging place. It uses a data triangulation
process (Denzin, 1989, 1997) by combining different types of data and sources (personal
interviews, observations, and documentation) to arrive at a convergent understanding of
the elements that are more or less likely to influence the NGO aid process in the
promotion of sustainability in agriculture.
This study finds that most NGOs and recipients focus on one or two dimensions
of sustainability (economic or environmental); the social or cultural dimensions are
somewhat neglected. I also find that funding and funding horizons are two of the major
issues that impede the promotion of sustainability in addition to communication and
collaboration in the design of the plans, execution, and follow-up. Recipient education,
paternalistic attitude, and poverty levels also play a major role in promoting
sustainability.