Following the various climatic disturbances that affected crops, agricultural production for the period from November to March, representing about 30%, of the national agricultural production, will be lower than normal. These poor harvests, coupled with losses to crops in the spring and summer, will significantly reduce the availability of local products on the market throughout the period of the perspective.

At least 20% of the population have lost the primary sources of feed. The rapid deterioration of livelihoods led to the deterioration of the food security to the IPC Phase 2 by December to March.

The lean season which usually begins in March / April will begin in January / February in the most affected areas, particularly the south-east, north-east, the western tip of the North-West and some towns in the North Plateau central, West, South, Grand Anse and the Nippes.

For poor households, which depend largely on the market to stock up on food, the dependence of the market will increase, until the next harvest expected this June / July.

Many poor households across the country will remain under pressure throughout the month of December, while others will see their situation worsen to find themselves in crisis or phase 3 of the IPC between January and March without well-targeted aid.

The Government and donors have announced substantial assistance to farmers, aid scheduled to begin in December to support crop of winter (2012) and spring (2013). These investments, if they occur, will create opportunities of remunerative employment for poor rural households from this month.

In this context, officials of MARNDR recently launched the winter crop beans [2012-2013] under the patronage of USAID / Winner. Through this campaign, the authorities are committed to strengthening the agricultural sector by promoting local products and ensuring food security of the population. In addition, it will at the same time to take out Haiti of food dependency in which it is stuck for more than two decades.

Arnoux Séverin the Departmental Director of Agriculture west of MARNDR stated that this campaign will allow to put uncultivated nearly 72,000 hectares of land whose 20.000 to 25.000 will be devoted to planting peas beans.

Jean Robert Estimé, the Director of USAID / Winner, is committed not only to contribute to the intensification of agriculture through training, but also by providing them with agricultural tools to enable the modernization of the sector. The institution has already distributed agricultural tractors to more than 9 associations of growers living in the plain of Cul-de-Sac, he said.

HL/ HaitiLibre