The Proposal

At the 2024 Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, the Dominican Republic will present their prioritized investment on “Implementation and Consolidation of the Enriquillo Norte Agroindustrial Center Linked to the Tourism Value Chain”. Valued at USD 35.8 million, the investment will improve agricultural production by 43% and strengthen marketing channels and the regional economy. Its average internal rate of return (IRR) is estimated at 22%.

The strategy includes three key axes: (i) developing agro-industrial infrastructure, (ii) strengthening producer capacities, and (iii) improve access to premium tourism markets and the binational market.

The project is aligned with national priorities, including the “Development Strategy for the Border Zone” of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPYD), the “Cabo Rojo Tourism Master Plan” of the Ministry of Tourism and the sectoral plans of the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism.

Interventions will target the Enriquillo Region bordering Haiti, with a population of 490,100 people and high poverty rate of 72%. The investment climate is favorable due to political stability, economic growth, and a special tax regime for agricultural companies in the border zone. The project will strengthen marketing channels in the region by connecting with the tourism sector and the binational market with Haiti, stimulate economic activity in a high-priority region, and support per capita income growth. Its relevant objectives and approaches tend to connect regional production with premium markets such as tourism and promote an inclusive rural transformation, based on technical approaches that emphasize sustainability.

The main value chains targeted include eggplant, onion, chili bell pepper, sweet corn, melon, watermelon, lemon, avocado, mango, banana, and grapes. Its objectives include developing a network of productive agro-industrial infrastructure and eliminating administrative capacity shortfalls which impede the integration of producer organizations into tourism value chains. Investments will be divided into three main components, for which different sources of financing are desired.

In 2024, the national government has contributed 10 hectares of land for the Agroindustrial Center, in addition to financial and technical commitments by the World Bank and the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), to prepare investment studies, improve irrigation systems and identify key investors and producer associations for capacity development in production.

Lastly, enabling infrastructure is being developed, such as the Pedernales International Airport and the expansion of public roads, which will facilitate the eventual export and distribution of agro-industrial products.

Dominican Republic Typologies

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Agro-informatics connects information technology with the management, analysis and application of agricultural data to design more accurate and targeted agricultural interventions. The use of new technologies and techniques in agriculture, such as satellite imagery, remote sensing, and geographic information systems, enable the transformation of data into actionable information.

Government of Dominican Republic: Investment cases in the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic Investment Cases and Interventions

Agro-industrial Center  9.1 Million USD 18,500 Beneficiaries

Development of agro-industrial infrastructure

Requiring financing from the private sector and multilateral investors, the first component intends to develop agro-industrial infrastructure and consolidate commercial agreements between agricultural producer organizations. It will support the construction and operation of the agro-industrial center and provide technical assistance to strengthen its management by local stakeholders. For this purpose, at least one Public-Private Partnership will be implemented for the development of the Agroindustrial Center's business model. The first component will cost USD 9.1 million, having an IRR of 22% and a net present value (NPV) of USD 7.7 million. 

Strengthening producers' capacities, promotion of productive development and access to markets 26.7 Million USD 80,000 Beneficiaries

Strengthening producers' capacities, promotion of productive development and access to markets

The second and third components are intrinsically connected in their financing needs and planned interventions, respectively intending to deliver capacity-building and technical assistance for sustainable production management and market access among producers and their organizations. Its estimated cost is USD 26.7 million, via state, bilateral, and multilateral financing programs; with an IRR of 21.6%, and an NPV of USD 23.9 million.
Component two plans to strengthen the capacities of producers to implement practices sensitive to climate change at the farm level, whereas component three will seek to elaborate and implement business plans for at least 40 producer organizations. 

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