16314: (Arthur) Food crisis worsening in Haiti - more than 3.8 million hungry people (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Charles Arthur <charlesarthur@hotmail.com>

Charles Arthur forwards a UN FAO alert about declining food production in
Haiti, and wonders again about the wisdom of a free zone to produce Levi
jeans for a Dominican company being built on prime agricultural land outside
the town of Ouanaminthe in Haiti. The Lavalas Family government hand in hand
with Grupo M and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation - in
front of our very eyes........For more info on this issue, see the Haiti
Support Group feature on the free zone at www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org



Food crisis worsening in Haiti - more than 3.8 million hungry people

FAO proposes farming and livestock projects in support of 500 000 people

31 July 2003, Rome -- A 'silent' food crisis is looming in Haiti, the
poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, FAO warned today.

Living conditions of the poor have deteriorated markedly, with over 3.8
million people suffering from hunger. The majority of the hungry lives in
rural areas.

"Haitians somehow manage to survive from day-to-day, leaving many observers
questioning whether there is really a humanitarian emergency," said Anne M.
Bauer, Director, Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division. "The
indicators, however, show that there is a crisis, albeit a 'silent' one, and
one that risks becoming deeper."

Damaged agriculture

Increased social and political tensions have contributed to a vicious cycle
of marginalization and increased vulnerability, eroding social, economic,
infrastructural and environmental assets, FAO said.

Out of a labour force of 4.1 million only 110 000 are employed in the formal
sector, of whom 35 000 are civil servants.

Agriculture, the main source of income, has been damaged by drought in the
northwest over the last four years and by floods in the northeast over the
last season. National food production is still decreasing due to
insufficient investment, infrastructure and access to agricultural inputs.

Poor living conditions are exacerbated by inadequate or non-existent water
and sanitation services.

Over 1.2 million children are affected or infected by HIV/AIDS or other
diseases. Around 23 percent of the children under five are suffering from
chronic malnutrition.

Reducing dependency on food aid

FAO launched an appeal for $6 million to finance five key relief activities
in Haiti.

FAO projects will : provide seeds and tools to 80 000 vulnerable farm
families hit by drought and floods, so that they can resume agricultural
production ;

provide poor households with chickens, pigs and goats to generate income and
reduce malnutrition ;

improve access for 500 families to drinking water and water for vegetable
gardening

vaccinate 675 000 farm animals against Anthrax to reduce loss of livestock.

"These activities will benefit more than half a million Haitians. FAO aims
to increase the communities' dignity and self-reliance in food, thereby
reducing dependency on costly and unsustainable external food aid," Bauer
said.

FAO will soon distribute around 180 tonnes of seeds to around 60 000 people
so that they can prepare for the next planting season which starts in
September.

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