Nearly half of Haiti facing acute hunger
In the months ahead, the BVI and other Caribbean countries may see an uptick in the number of illegal Haitian migrants trying to enter their jurisdictions, with more than half of the country’s population now facing acute hunger.
The BVI has a growing Haitian expat community. In the past, Haitians have fled to the BVI during times of crisis, but like other Caribbean countries, local authorities sent them back to their homeland.
According to the latest statistics from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, 4.9 million people in Haiti are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. That number represents nearly half of the country’s population.
This figure also represents an increase of 20,000 people in just five months.
The FAO said, of the total number of people affected, 1.8 million are in the emergency phase – up from the analyses conducted in the last three years. This means that households face large food consumption gaps resulting in high acute malnutrition and excess mortality.
It also means people are forced to adopt negative coping mechanisms to cover food needs, such as selling their productive assets or consuming seeds instead of planting them, something that increases their vulnerability to food insecurity.
With 75 percent of Haiti’s population living in rural areas, the FAO said urgent measures are needed to save lives and quickly restore the agricultural livelihoods of vulnerable farmers.
Some causes
Haiti is experiencing a prolonged crisis that has become more acute and complex than ever before. The socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are compounded by the war in Ukraine, the cholera outbreak and the impact of extreme events such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes.
Households’ purchasing power continues to be affected by high food prices linked to the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar, and the rising cost of transportation.
Along with crop failures, this has forced people to increasingly resort to negative coping mechanisms to meet their basic needs.
Violence by gangs and armed groups threatens the security of communities and continues to hinder their access to agricultural inputs and food.
Moreover, Haiti is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters that have caused extensive damage and loss of life. Many communities are still struggling to recover from disasters such as Tropical Storm Grace and the 2021 earthquake, which devastated parts of Grand’Anse, Nippes and Sud departments.
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Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean, with over 11 million people as of the last census in 2021. It is baffling how this country cannot rise up out of poverty, what’s the problem?
BVI should not have to carry these big burdens from the region. Bob Marley was right when he sang about the Big Fish eating up the small fish. Our small territory, with little or no resources to feed itself is expected to be the bread basket for these failing independent large countries. I wonder if our government is going to play hero, again and again instead of looking out for the interest of its own people first. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in helping others, but the Bible says there’s a time for everything.
Yes BUT it is Independent. All those factors contributing to their current crisis we and the whole Caribbean and elsewhere has and continues to experience.
Lest you forget..they and other Caribbean countries that are in acute crisis are INDEPENDENT..
The basis of any and all of our sufferation has roots in the so called ” “Independent” Caribbean ” Island Nations coupled with the infortunate character of its people. A character that is self destructive and not conducive to positive advancement.
Hopefully the Red Cross can spring into action.
Every port where aid could be landed is controlled by an armed gang who steal the goods and sell them for profit.
There is simply no functioning government or police, so even if you drove aid convoys from the DR border and tried to distribute food, the gangs will attack and steal it all.
Gradually neighborhood protection groups are developing who attack and kill gang members, but then those groups become local warlords who control their neighborhood essentially the same as the gangs.
In the past decade the Dom Rep army has nearly doubled it’s border force and purchase of .50 calibre ammunition, plus are on target to complete an entire wall along the border, as it’s like World War Z there every night.
For decades Haiti has proven itself to be the place where hope goes to die. No assistance effort has ever been successful, with every country trying giving up because of the rampant corruption and crime.
It’s funny how no one mentions the program that has been and still is being carried out by the western powers against Haiti. It’s sickening how some people talk like they are so knowledgeable about the plight of Haiti but you never hear anything of the real situation that is causing all the problems. Is it a fact that Haiti is rich in rare minerals that are essential to the development of technology? Are these minerals being forcefully taken out of Haiti with no compensation. Is the gang warfare the result of the people’s efforts to counter the rape of the country. It should be noted that Haiti is not the only country suffering this fate Ukraine Sudan DRC and many others including Iraq Libya Palestine Syria and many others around the world are subject to the same evil.
The histrionic issues that put Haitians to this point must be highlighted
Thats was 200 years ago what you all want to say and blame other countries, they have had 200yr to get themselves together , they haven’t, Corruption is what has driven the downfall of this country yes there are outside influences but its the countrymen selling off their lands and rights for a quick dollar, does that ring any bells?
Those people making a big effort to purchase tickets and visa to come here yet you all always sending those poor people back home
Haiti is way over-populated for its level of development, despite all the emigration to the US and elsewhere. Family planning has been unsuccessful. Overcrowding has lead to deforestation and resulting landslides. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.
It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is? If you think it is what it is is only confined to Haiti I got news for you. Coming soon to a theater near you.
Keep the people over there,they come here is trouble
Haiti was once the richest of nations in the Caribbean, due to the sale of ebony to European furniture makers as well as charcoal for fuel . Once that supply was exhausted never to be replaced (that type of ebony is not found anywhere else in the world) and the profits of that industry spent in Europe, France saw no further use for the island and therefore when the population rebelled France capitulated and Haitians won their independence somewhat of a Pyrrhic victory.
France also demanded and got (while holding Haiti under Navel blockade ) 150 million francs in compensation for loss of slaves and property also a 50% discount on all exported trade goods into France.
Is that the reason we create the gangsters monsters terrorist like to destroy them alive!
You know, I have to agree with Sheep. What we call suffering in the BVI pales in comparison to other countries. We are certainly on the path to being like some of them but we have not seen any real suffering in recent years. There is some hardship but not widespread suffering like in some of these places.
So food don’t grow there on hati ???hmm guess God punishing them for all the wickedness that they practice don’t forget that
Haiti isn’t the problem, these so called ‘independent’ Caribbean countries aren’t the problem, the Drc and other third world African countries aren’t the problem. Because haiti has many resources, so do the Caribbean nations, none more than the African countries, but how are they going to take advantage of the resources? Its not corruption, it’s not the white man, it’s that black peoples can’t make anything. No heavy machinery for mining, mining gold by hand alongside their children, no vehicles to transport goods, 110 dudes on bikes carrying 500lbs. each, no roads, national highway is dirt, can’t make a toaster,a microwave, not even electricity for themselves. Then the ones still owned and supported by the colonial masters, tell themselves how much better they are, but would be no different if massa let them go