FAO–WFP analysis of the links between instability and food insecurity in Haiti Executive Summary
Summary — This study, sponsored by the Haitian humanitarian food security sector with support from the Global Network Against Food Crises, examines the interplay between rural development, food insecurity, and recurrent sociopolitical crises in Haiti. It aims to inform national planning and identify conditions for political engagement with stakeholders in agricultural development and food security.
Key Findings
- Haiti's food insecurity and political instability are mutually reinforcing.
- Structural factors of fragility, including social stratification and weak governance, contribute to the crisis.
- Trade liberalization has negatively impacted domestic agricultural production.
- Gang violence disrupts food distribution and exacerbates food insecurity.
- The national policy and strategy for food sovereignty, food security and nutrition in Haiti (PSNSSANH) offers a promising framework for change.
Full Description
The study investigates the deep-rooted causes of food insecurity and instability in Haiti, linking them to historical factors, social stratification, weak governance, and insufficient social cohesion. It highlights the opposition between farmers and urban authorities, the decline in agricultural productivity, and the impact of trade liberalization. The analysis also covers the role of gang violence, corruption, and the lack of a strong social contract in perpetuating the crisis. The study emphasizes the need to transform the structural conditions in Haiti’s food system and promote a national framework for change, referencing the national policy and strategy for food sovereignty, food security and nutrition in Haiti (PSNSSANH).