El Niño, Drought Blamed as Severe Food Insecurity Doubles in 6 Months in Haiti (For the Media)

PORT-AU-PRINCE – Haiti’s third consecutive year of drought, exacerbated by the global El Niño weather phenomenon, has driven people deeper into poverty and hunger, and doubled the severely food-insecure population, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today. Some 3.6 million Haitians are facing food insecurity, among them more than 1.5 million people who are severely food insecure. In coordination with the Government, WFP has been distributing food to about 120,000 Haitians since November in areas worst affected by the drought. In addition, WFP-supported School Meals programmes in Haiti – many in drought-hit areas – provide crucial support to almost 500,000 children by ensuring that they receive at least one meal daily, while at the same time encouraging them to attend school.