The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), has launched an emergency initiative in Haiti’s North and Centre departments to support the most vulnerable households facing escalating displacement, deportations, and worsening climatic shocks. The programme targets displaced persons, deportees from the Dominican Republic, and host communities, enabling families to produce their own food while strengthening resilience against recurring natural hazards.
The intervention comes at a critical time, with nearly half of Haitians classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above, according to the September 2024 Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC). The majority of these households reside in rural areas and rely on agriculture and livestock. Many families are forced to skip meals or reduce portions, facing persistent food gaps and malnutrition risks, while others confront extreme shortages that compel desperate coping strategies.
Through CERF funding, the initiative will assist 1,500 vulnerable rural households, approximately 7,500 people, in displacement camps and host families in the communes of Dondon, Plaine du Nord, Belladère, and Lascahobas. Key measures include providing emergency food production support to 1,200 rural households, supplying nine tonnes of black beans, three tonnes of drought-adapted groundnut seeds, and 600,000 elephant grass cuttings. These inputs are expected to generate over 250 tonnes of food within 90 days—enough to feed 8,000 households for six months—and improve dietary diversity. Families also receive unconditional cash transfers to meet immediate needs and avoid selling the agricultural inputs.
The initiative also focuses on livelihoods rehabilitation, with 300 people restoring over 19 kilometers of irrigation canals to bring water back to 100–300 hectares of farmland and constructing 200 shelters to house and protect 1,200 goats or other small livestock. These interventions strengthen local production capacities and provide income opportunities, benefiting roughly 1,500 people across 300 households. Additionally, 400 farmers will receive hands-on training in climate-smart agricultural practices to boost productivity and adapt to changing climatic conditions.
The targeted communes are among the hardest hit by overlapping climatic and social stressors. Belladère serves as a major entry point for deportees from the Dominican Republic and hosts numerous internally displaced persons, while recent surges in violence around Lascahobas have further disrupted markets and farming activities.
“In Haiti, emergency food production and preparedness for climate shocks is not just an immediate response: it is the only effective way to create lasting impact and empowerment in rural communities,” said Pierre Vauthier, FAO Representative in Haiti. “This initiative addresses urgent needs while laying the foundation for long-term disaster preparedness, enabling farmers to produce food, protect assets, and adapt to a changing climate.”
By combining immediate assistance with long-term resilience measures, FAO and CERF are working closely with rural communities to protect livelihoods, strengthen food security, and promote recovery and stability.
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