The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) committed today to both assisting 1.6 million people hit by droughts exacerbated by El Niño in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Haiti and building resilience against future climatic shocks.

Speaking at the end of visits to El Salvador and Guatemala to see the compounded impact of El Niño, one of the strongest in the last half century, WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, will go in the coming days in Haiti where she will meet with vulnerable communities who suffer the impacts of El Niño.

WFP is concerned that from March to April, small farmers in Central America may have to drain their cash and food reserves to obtain seeds and other inputs for the first crop cycle of 2016.

Meanwhile, 3.6 million people in Haiti are food insecure after three years of severe drought. WFP initially responded with food distributions for a two-month period to 120,000 people. It now plans to launch an emergency operation to assist 1 million people, primarily by cash transfers. More nutrition interventions are planned to prevent a rise in acute malnutrition.

WFP needs US$100 million to assist 1.6 million victims of drought through August in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Haiti.

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre