Haiti’s hunger crisis reaches famine levels, according to new report
Haiti’s ongoing gang-fueled social and political turmoil has driven severe hunger levels to new heights, with an estimated 5.4 million people—nearly half the population—now facing acute food shortages, according to data released Monday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
2024-10-02 13:25:34 - VI News Staff
The report also reveals that at least 6,000 Haitians are suffering from famine-like conditions, with no access to food despite exhausting all available coping strategies. The IPC defines famine or catastrophe-level hunger as a situation where people are on the brink of starvation, destitution, and death due to extreme food scarcity. The number of Haitians experiencing such severe hunger has risen sharply from just under 5 million in March. Projections indicate this figure will surpass 5.5 million by June 2024.
Escalating violence, particularly in and around the capital of Port-au-Prince, has disrupted the supply of basic foodstuffs, limiting access to food both physically and financially, according to the IPC report. Compounding the crisis is Haiti’s soaring inflation, which has stretched household budgets thin, with food expenses consuming up to 70% of income.