Haiti - Social Unrest and food insecurity (DG ECHO) (ECHO Daily Flash of 06 November 2019)

Social unrest and the political crisis continue to paralyse economic activities in Haiti. The import of goods, including food, is difficult and most in-country commercial exchanges are seriously hampered. As a consequence, food prices are soaring, heavily affecting the most vulnerable households.

A new food security survey conducted in August, shows an increasing level of vulnerability for the poorest households, both in rural and urban areas. An estimated 3.7 million people are acutely food insecure, a sharp increase from the estimated 2.6 million at the end of 2018. Given the dire socio-economic situation and the lack of immediate plans to tackle the situation, these numbers are expected to further increase in 2020.

On 4 November, the Government of Haiti issued a request for international assistance for food assistance and/or urgent humanitarian assistance.