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31 July – A “silent” food crisis is looming in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with over 3.8 million people – nearly half its total – suffering from hunger, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warned today.

“Haitians somehow manage to survive from day-to-day, leaving many observers questioning whether there is really a humanitarian emergency,” Anne M. Bauer, Director of the FAO Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division, said. “The indicators, however, show that there is a crisis, albeit a ‘silent’ one, and one that risks becoming deeper.”

Living conditions of the poor have deteriorated markedly, FAO said in a news release. The majority of the hungry live in rural areas. Increased social and political tensions have contributed to a vicious cycle of marginalization and increased vulnerability, eroding social, economic, infrastructural and environmental assets

Out of a labour force of 4.1 million only 110,000 are employed in the formal sector, of whom 35,000 are civil servants. Over 1.2 million children are affected or infected by HIV/AIDS or other diseases. Around 23 per cent of the children under five are suffering from chronic malnutrition.

Agriculture, the main source of income, has been damaged by drought in the northwest over the last four years and by floods in the northeast over the last season, FAO added. National food production is still decreasing due to insufficient investment, infrastructure and access to agricultural inputs

Poor living conditions are exacerbated by inadequate or non-existent water and sanitation services.

In April the UN and its various agencies launched an $84 million appeal to address the emergency needs of the most vulnerable in Haiti over the next 18 months.

Food crisis worsening in Haiti - more than 3.8 million hungry people

FAO proposes farming and livestock projects in support of 500 000 people

31 July 2003, Rome -- A 'silent' food crisis is looming in Haiti, the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, FAO warned today.

Living conditions of the poor have deteriorated markedly, with over 3.8 million people suffering from hunger. The majority of the hungry lives in rural areas.

"Haitians somehow manage to survive from day-to-day, leaving many observers questioning whether there is really a humanitarian emergency," said Anne M. Bauer, Director, Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division. "The indicators, however, show that there is a crisis, albeit a 'silent' one, and one that risks becoming deeper."

Damaged agriculture

Increased social and political tensions have contributed to a vicious cycle of marginalization and increased vulnerability, eroding social, economic, infrastructural and environmental assets, FAO said.

Out of a labour force of 4.1 million only 110 000 are employed in the formal sector, of whom 35 000 are civil servants.

Agriculture, the main source of income, has been damaged by drought in the northwest over the last four years and by floods in the northeast over the last season. National food production is still decreasing due to insufficient investment, infrastructure and access to agricultural inputs.

Poor living conditions are exacerbated by inadequate or non-existent water and sanitation services.

Over 1.2 million children are affected or infected by HIV/AIDS or other diseases. Around 23 percent of the children under five are suffering from chronic malnutrition.

Reducing dependency on food aid

FAO launched an appeal for $6 million to finance five key relief activities in Haiti.

FAO projects will: