Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment of the Dominican Republic

The workshop team carried out a social, environmental and climate assessment of the Dominican Republic as a background study under the Social, Environment and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP) of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).  The study is intended to inform IFAD's new Country Strategic Opportunity Programme (COSOP) 2026-2031 for the Dominican Republic.  The study was carried out in tandem with the design of the COSOP, and was informed by (1) a desk review of relevant national policies and strategies, (2) consultations with government partners and other local stakeholders, and (3) analysis of other background studies, IFAD projects and country program evaluations. 

Despite impressive macroeconomic growth, the Dominican Republic faces persistent challenges of poverty affecting nearly a quarter of its population, with 52.1% experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity. The agricultural sector, contributing 7.8% to GDP and 14.2% to employment, is characterized by low productivity, gender inequality, and declining rural employment, with agricultural wages significantly below national averages.

As the 11th most climate-vulnerable country globally, the Dominican Republic confronts severe environmental threats, including temperature increases of 1-3°C and precipitation reductions of up to 15% by 2050. Land degradation affects 69.7% of territory, with widespread soil erosion and deforestation primarily driven by agricultural expansion. Water management inefficiencies and increasing extreme weather events disproportionately impact smallholder farmers who lack adaptation resources.

Social inequities persist despite progress in health insurance coverage and educational accessibility. Gender inequality is particularly pronounced in agriculture, where women represent 43% of the workforce but access only 1% of credit and own just 2% of land. Meanwhile, youth participation in agriculture remains minimal at 5%, signaling potential future labor shortages.

Building on lessons from previous IFAD investments in the country, the study identifies a robust institutional landscape and comprehensive legal frameworks that provide a foundation for addressing these challenges. It recommends thirteen strategic interventions organized around IFAD's three strategic objectives: increase poor rural people’s productive capacities; increase poor rural people’s benefits from market participation; and strengthen the environmental sustainability and climate resilience of poor rural people’s economic activities. By aligning with national priorities and leveraging IFAD's comparative advantages, the COSOP can contribute to a more equitable, resilient, and productive rural sector in the Dominican Republic during 2026-2031.