In the south of the country shaken by the earthquake, “about 980,000 people are expected to be severely food insecure (phase 3 or more on a scale of 5) between September and February 2022, including 320,000 in phase 4 (emergency),” says FAO in a summary document produced by fifteen UN agencies and international NGOs, taking stock of the state of the country’s food security.
The earthquake caused the destruction of all the infrastructure allowing agricultural production and food distribution – markets, roads, bonded warehouses, dairies, irrigation systems – amplified by the passage of Storm Grace a few days after the earthquake.
For the spring (March to June 2022), the number of people in acute food insecurity in this region is expected to increase to 991,000, the document says.
The UN organization would like to help Haitians before the next agricultural season starting in October, by distributing seeds, agricultural equipment or livestock, and by helping to rebuild damaged infrastructure (irrigation channels, fruit processing plants, dairies, fishmongers).
To this end, FAO is calling for $20 million to help some 32,000 of the most affected rural families (160,000 people) restore agricultural infrastructure.
FAO notes that lower than usual rainfall between April and May also reduced agricultural production this year.
