During a press briefing in Geneva, Hervé Verhoosel, spokesman of the United Nations World Food Program, said that according to a study conducted in October 2019 on the 11 million inhabitants in Haiti, 2.6 million people suffers from "Acute and Critical Insufficiency of Food Access with Severe Malnutrition" (Phase 3 on the scale of 5 CPI) and 1.046 million (rural and urban), are in a situation of "Humanitarian Emergency" (Phase 4 of the CPI) or a total of about 3.7 million Haitians in food insecurity (approximately 35% of the population).

He pointed out that food insecurity has increased by 15% in rural areas since the last survey in December 2018, adding that the most affected areas are the low North West (which has gone from an emergency situation in rural areas) and in urban areas the very poor neighborhoods of Cité Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets. In departments classified in crisis, the Artibonite, the Nippes require immediate assistance. Warning that without immediate help, "The situation could deteriorate further [...] by March 2020, the number of people requiring urgent assistance to meet their daily food needs could stand at more than 4 million"

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification(IPC), working with the National Food Security Coordination (CNSA), reveals in its survey that the consequences of the socio-political situation has only aggravated the already precarious food situation. "The import of goods, including foodstuffs, is difficult and most trade within the country is seriously impeded. Food prices are rising steadily and are affecting heavily the most vulnerable households."

The survey reveals that the most affected places are the low North West (which has gone from a stress situation to a rural emergency) and in urban areas the very poor neighborhoods of Cité Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets. In departments classified in crisis, the Artibonite, the Nippes require immediate assistance in his investigation that the consequences of socio-political unrest have only aggravated the precarious food situtaion "the importation of goods, including foodstuffs is difficult and most trade within the country is seriously hampered. Food prices are rising steadily and are affecting heavily the most vulnerable households."

Learn more about the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) :

Phase 1 :

Usually adequate and stable food access with moderate to low risk of sliding into Phase 3, 4, or 5.

Phase 2 : Moderately / Borderline Food Insecure

Borderline adequate food access with recurrent high risk (due to probable hazard events and high vulnerability) of sliding into Phase 3, 4, or 5.

Phase 3 : Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis

Highly stressed and critical lack of food access with high and above usual malnutrition and accelerated depletion of livelihood assets that, if continued, will slide the population into Phase 4 or 5 and / or likely result in chronic poverty.

Phase 4 : Humanitarian Emergency

Severe lack of food access with excess mortality, very high and increasing malnutrition, and irreversible livelihood asset stripping.

Phase 5 : Famine / Humanitarian Catastrophe

Extreme social upheaval with complete lack of food access and / or other basic needs where mass starvation, death, and displacement are evident.

SL/ HaitiLibre