(2025-12) Key Message Update: Between insecurity, weak harvests and high prices, food insecurity persists
Summary — Widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists countrywide with Emergency (IPC Phase 4) in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince, Croix-des-Bouquets and metropolitan IDP sites. Below-average fall harvests temporarily improved availability outside the metropolitan area, but gang tolls keep local produce from the capital. Facility admissions show over 27% of under-fives with acute malnutrition nationally (42% in the Ouest). International Crisis Group estimates the Viv Ansanm coalition raises 60-75 million USD a year from illegal tolls that inflate food prices.
Key Findings
- Widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) countrywide; Emergency (IPC Phase 4) in the ZMPP.
- Below-average fall harvests helped outside the metropolitan area, but gang tolls keep local produce from the capital.
- Over 27% of under-fives admitted to health facilities showed acute malnutrition nationally (42% in the Ouest).
- Viv Ansanm gangs generate 60-75 million USD/year from tolls (~1,500 USD/truck/month, 150 USD/trip, 2,000 USD/container), inflating food prices.
- WFP reached ~1.8M of a 3M target (~60%) via cash (1.4M) and hot meals (0.4M).
Full Description
In this December 2025 update (updating the October 2025 outlook), FEWS NET reports widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) countrywide, with intensifying insecurity and high acute-malnutrition prevalence keeping Emergency (IPC Phase 4) in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince, Croix-des-Bouquets and metropolitan IDP sites. Below-average fall harvests temporarily improved availability of some products in Nippes, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Centre and parts of the Ouest, but not in the metropolitan area, where gang violence and rising illegal tolls block local produce. Representative acute-malnutrition data are unavailable, but health-facility admissions show over 27% of under-fives admitted nationally with acute malnutrition (42% in the Ouest) - possibly above the 2023 SMART survey, though not population-representative and partly reflecting screening changes. Staple prices stay exceptionally high, aggravated by illegal taxes and exorbitant transit fees on national roads despite a stable exchange rate. Security is worsening in Artibonite (Pont-Sondé), Centre (Mirebalais) and Ouest (Arcahaie, Montrouis); IOM reports about 9,000 people forced to flee in November and 22,000 deported. Clashes at Arcahaie, Montrouis, Pont-Sondé and Estère block National Road 1. Per the International Crisis Group, the Viv Ansanm gangs generate 60-75 million USD a year from informal tolls; illegal levies run about 1,500 USD per truck per month, 150 USD per trip and 2,000 USD per maritime container, feeding higher food prices nationwide. Hurricane Melissa's residual effects continue in the Grand Sud, with about 1.25 million people affected and near-total losses of seasonal crops and livestock in the hardest-hit areas, followed by almost no rainfall - compounding autumn and winter crop damage. On assistance, WFP reports significantly reduced emergency-program funding (59% funded over the last twelve months); of a 3 million target, cumulatively 1.8 million (about 60%) were reached via cash transfers (1.4 million) and hot meals (0.4 million), mainly in IDP sites, with intermittent coverage in the ZMPP.