Haiti - Agriculture : Perspectives on Food Security (July-December 2014)
Ongoing harvests since June, led to an improvement in food security conditions in almost the entire country. They allowed the reconstitution of food stocks exhausted in poor households since March. Food availability is increasing and this until August.
Some areas of the Artibonite, Northwest, Southeast and Nippes, who were in crisis (IPC Phase 3) have gradually evolved and are now, for the most part, in stress (IPC Phase 2).
The markets, which until May / June were mostly filled by imported products, have seen a gradual increase in local products such as beans, corn, fruits, bananas and vegetables. The prices of local products have declined in most markets. This is the case for example for beans whose price has fallen by more than 30% in the markets of Port-au-Prince and Jérémie among others.
The early cessation of rains in June caused declines in production of crop planted in April and May. Losses caused by drought are estimated at about 30% of the production season. It is likely that the drought will continue until October because of the El Nino manifestation [average rainfall deficit of 50% in the south]. What may compromise the performance of the second cropping season from August to December and as a result, to a deterioration of food security during the same period, particularly in the South and the Central Plateau. However, areas prone to recurrent droughts as the lower Northwest and the western part of the upper Artibonite benefited from good rains this season.
