Port-au-Prince:Nearly six million people in Haiti are experiencing severe hunger, with almost two million facing emergency levels of food insecurity, as detailed in a new report released on Wednesday. The crisis, affecting the nation of nearly 12 million, stems from escalating gang violence, displacement, high food and fuel prices, and extreme weather conditions linked to the El Niño phenomenon.
According to Ghana Web, about half of Haitians cannot consistently access enough food. The number of people facing severe hunger is projected to rise to 6.35 million by mid-2027, surpassing half of the population, based on an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN initiative monitoring global food insecurity and malnutrition.
Rein Paulsen, director of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Office of Emergencies and Resilience, highlighted that violence and displacement are hindering access to markets, farmland, and agricultural inputs. Additionally, the intense El Niño phenomenon is contributing to drier-than-normal conditions and higher temperatures in Haiti and the Caribbean, further complicating agricultural efforts.
Farmers are facing significant challenges in growing crops due to insufficient rainfall. "Rain isn't falling. You work the soil, but there is no rain. You plant your crops, and you end up with nothing to harvest," shared 36-year-old farmer Dieula Célestin. To combat these difficulties, the FAO is providing seeds, poultry, ducks, goats, and other livestock to help families secure food and generate income.
FAO Representative in Haiti Pierre Vauthier noted that livestock can be distributed anytime, without waiting for the planting season. Packages of five chickens or two goats can immediately provide milk, eggs, and meat for consumption or sale in local markets.
The number of Haitians facing severe hunger has increased by nearly a quarter of a million since the IPC's previous report in April. The UN's World Food Programme has stated it requires $78 million to sustain operations in Haiti through March, emphasizing the urgent need for scaled-up humanitarian assistance to meet immediate needs.
The escalating hunger crisis coincides with increased fighting between armed gangs and a UN-backed security force. This follows an attack on October 18 in Port-au-Prince, where four Salvadoran aviation technicians went missing, prompting El Salvador to deploy over 1,000 soldiers to Haiti.