Misery, hunger and despair conquer Haiti

misery and hunger is taking hold in haitia country where eating enough has become a luxury and where food insecurity affects 4.9 million people out of a population of just over 11 million.

In the midst of an unprecedented socio-political and economic crisis, more and more people live in extreme poverty and this translates into greater food insecurity that is ruthless to two groups: children and those who have had to leave their homes and remain in refugee camps due to violence by armed gangs.

CAMPS, STARVATION SCENARIOS

This is the case Rouseline Cenat Josephwho lives with her husband in a camp in the commune of Delmas, in Port-au-Prince.

“Feeding is very difficult. If we have enough, we both eat, if not, we share what little we have. Sometimes we go a whole day without taking anything. It’s noon and we haven’t eaten yet. Not knowing if we’ll be able to do,” he said. regrets EFE Rousélinewhich confirms that it is not easy to find water in this place either.

This woman preferred to separate herself from her only son to avoid bringing him to this a camp for exiles, abandoned by the authorities and a prototype which are abundant throughout Haiti.

The misery here is palpable. More than 300 people live in inhumane conditions extreme uncertaintyamidst bedbugs and victims of scabies, measles… before which Rouseline demands that the authorities do something.

He also complains about it EFE Chrispin Jean Ewilhumanitarian worker in Delmas: “As far as food security is concerned, the situation is really difficult. They are desperate. No one in charge is in charge of providing them with food. They sleep in bad conditions.”

“Today in Haiti it is impossible to eat enough, let alone eat healthy. The situation is difficult, miserable. People are starving,” Ewil said.

Another particularly vulnerable population group are children: United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) ensures that severe acute malnutrition among them has jumped by 30% compared to 2022 and, in its chronic form, affects almost every fourth minor. A warning that many will die unless immediate action is taken.

THE NEED FOR DEEP MEASURES ON A PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE CAUSES

He famine in Haiti This is not new, the situation has been degenerating for at least four decades in an essentially agricultural country, but in which the authorities have never made an effort to make agriculture a priority.

Now families are reducing their food intake, hundreds of people are surviving thanks to solidarity, and some are surviving with sporadic jobs on the street. Others manage to feed on the money sent by the diaspora that keeps the dying woman alive Haitian economy.

Causes of which is close to half population living in a situation of food insecurity (1.8 million people in extreme need of food) are many, varied and, in many cases, profound.

“We have a cyclical situation resulting from a structural problem. There are necessary investments that are not implemented. We have a management problem,” Harmel Cazeau, head of the state-owned company, told EFE National coordination for food safety.

Near crisis and inflation Close to 50%, causing prices to double and even triple, uncertainty has grown exponentially and thus “it is impossible for people and goods to move freely”.

Furthermore, in recent months Haiti It is facing an unprecedented drought that is causing people and animals to starve in regions like Grand’Anse, considered the breadbasket of the earth. “There is a lack of investment in the agricultural sector,” he condemns.

IN Cazeau’s opinionurgent, structural and deep measures are needed, “we need much more thoughtful programs that also take into account the medium and long term (…) We need to lay the foundations of something sustainable in terms of the fight against poverty, environmental degradation and global insecurity.

The recommendations of this expert are multiple: help producers value their products more, sustainable public policiesjob creation and programs that guarantee much-needed security.