In its latest bulletin Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the International Famine Early Warning Network reports that overall average rains since January continue to favor the development of spring crops and to initiate the campaign throughout Haiti.

However, farmers' lack of access to inputs risks compromising the rather favorable positive rainfall impacts. The lack of access to inputs forces farmers to limit their useful agricultural land and therefore production.

Markets are well supplied with basic products, but rising prices are above their five-year average and amplified by the depreciation of the Gourde's exchange rate, the anticipation of an upcoming adjustment in fuel prices and lean season, continue to deteriorate the food security of poor and very poor households.

These households will therefore continue to adopt crisis strategies (consumption of early harvests, in particular mangoes, or seeds, sale of wood, reduction in the quality and/or quantity of meals, among others) or stress (including purchases on credit, sale of livestock, etc...) to maintain the current level of their food consumption.

Crisis (IPC Phase 3**) food insecurity is observed in poor neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince plagued by insecurity, in areas suffering from the residual impact of the earthquake, in those most vulnerable to climate and price shocks depend more heavily on the market for their consumption.

** IPC Phase 3 : Acute Food and Livelihoods Crisis

Acute and critical insufficiency of access to food with severe and unusual malnutrition and accelerated depletion of livelihood assets which, if the situation continues, will cause the population to fall into the Stage 4 or 5 and/or will likely result in chronic poverty.

HL/ HaitiLibre