In its key messages on Haiti published in July, the International Organization Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the international famine early warning network, reports "The socio-political and economic climate is further deteriorating. From June to July, an increase of more than 70% in the total number of political violence events and deaths was recorded (ACLED, July 2022). In addition to the armed clashes in Cité Soleil, cases of kidnapping are increasing, preventing the population from going about their activities normally, mainly in the metropolitan area. In addition, the scarcity of fuel has led to higher transport costs and commodity prices.

"Between July 2021 and July 2022, the official exchange rate fell from 93.68 to 115.11 Gourdes for 1 US dollar, a depreciation of 22.8%, thus strengthening the inflationary expectations of economic agents [+27.8% annual in May 2022 latest information available]. Staple food prices remain above last year's prices and those of the past five years.

"The below-average spring harvests have very little impact on the prices of local products and will negatively affect the summer/autumn and winter campaigns, as farmers use the income from the sales of these harvests for the acquisition of inputs during the following agricultural campaigns such as labor and seeds.

"Insecurity, inflation, lack of employment opportunities, among others, disrupt household access to typical sources of food and income. The very poor, especially those in the precarious neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, will continue to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) food insecurity until January 2023. Households in areas where harvests are estimated to be close to the average, in particular the South, Grand'Anse, and in some communes of Artibonite, the lower Central Plateau, the West, the North and the Northeast, will be in Stressed food insecurity (Phase 2 of IPC )."

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.

HL/ HaitiLibre