Aid agencies call for action as extreme hunger spikes in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, 30th September 2024 – Haiti is grappling with one of the world’s worst hunger crises, with nearly half the population, or over 5 million people, facing acute food insecurity or worse. 
 

In response, a collective of leading humanitarian and development agencies, including Action Against Hunger, ActionAid, CARE, Mercy Corps, Concern Worldwide, World Vision and Save the Children alongside the NGO platform CLIO, is urgently calling on the international community to increase funding, ensure safe and unfettered humanitarian access for aid delivery, and ultimately find sustainable pathways to peace. Without immediate action, the hunger crisis in Haiti will continue to deepen, with devastating consequences for millions of vulnerable people.
 

According to the latest IPC analysis, 5.4 million Haitians are suffering from acute food insecurity, with 2 million—about 18% of the population—experiencing severe hunger. Of this group, 6,000 individuals are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
 

Violence and security crisis means that people in Haiti cannot access and afford food
In the 1980s,  Haiti’s food production was self-sufficient. In 2014, only 2 per cent of Haiti’s population was food insecure; today, that number has surged to nearly 50 per cent of the population, making it one of the top 10 crises in the world. In the past year, the situation deteriorated further, with another 1.2 million people plunged into food insecurity. 
 

Angeline Annesteus, president of CLIO, explains: “What we’re witnessing in Haiti isn’t a food shortage—it’s a hunger crisis. While markets may still have food, violence and inflation have driven prices out of reach for millions. Families are caught in a cycle of desperation, and urgent action is needed to break it.” Up to  90 per cent of the capital city of Port-au-Prince is controlled by armed gangs and prices of food baskets have soared. People are struggling to access and afford nutritious food. 
 

With road access cut off by gangs, many humanitarian organizations are struggling to deliver aid. "Supplies from southern Haiti, a key region for food distribution, have been blocked for months. The cost of food has skyrocketed as trucks are forced to pay high bribes to pass through.  It is difficult for local farmers to buy and sell agricultural products on the main markets, due to road closures between Port-au-Prince and the provinces”, shares one humanitarian worker. 

Violence is driving a displacement crisis and forcing people to take desperate measure to survive
 

The endless cycle of violence has also led to almost 580,000 people being internally displaced since the escalation in gang violence which began in March 2024, more than double the figure from 2022. “I left my home in Pétion-Ville because gangs were controlling the streets, fighting, burning down houses and businesses. We couldn't go out. We couldn't go to the markets. We didn't have enough food to eat. We were forced to leave the area we lived in,” says Alexandra, who has fled to the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.

Women and children are particularly vulnerable in this crisis. In displacement camps, young girls as young as 15 are being coerced into trading sex for food. Marie, a Women Rights Militant, shares that schools can’t function in several neighbourhoods, so that children can’t receive an education right now.

Humanitarian organiSations urgently call for support
 

Despite the dangers posed by gang-related violence, particularly in Port-au-Prince, local and international humanitarian organizations on the ground are managing to reach thousands of people with urgently needed assistance. Guerda Previlion, a local leader with the youth organization IDEJEN, highlights the importance of working closely with communities: “We build strong relationships with people in camps to ensure our work is successful and our staff can work safely - they are our sounding board and alarm system.”

However, this is not enough. To date, the humanitarian response in Haiti is critically underfunded, with less than 36 per cent of the required funding in place. This shortage of resources hinders the ability of aid agencies to respond at scale, leaving millions of Haitians in urgent need of assistance. But it is not too late to reverse this situation and ensure enough resources reach those in need. 

We, the undersigned organizations, are urging the international community to respond to the hunger crisis in Haiti by:

Increasing financial support to humanitarian operations, including local actors and women-led organizations that are responding to the food and protection crises.
Support humanitarians’ efforts to secure rapid, safe and unfettered humanitarian access to all areas in need across Haiti.

Strengthening diplomatic engagement with Haitians, including Haitian civil society, to find sustainable pathways to peace.
 

Ends
 

Signatories: 

Action Against Hunger

Insecurity Insight

World Vision

Alianza por la Solidaridad/ActionAid

CARE 

Concern Worldwide

GOAL

Save the Children 

SOS Children Villages Haïti

CLIO - Cadre de Liaison Inter-Organisations

DKH - Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

Mercy Corps