The food crisis in Haiti has reached alarming levels. In a statement issued this Monday, April 28, 2025, the NGO Action Against Hunger (ACF) raises the alarm: more than 50% of Haitians, representing approximately 5.7 million individuals, are currently experiencing severe food insecurity.
This unprecedented situation, highlighted by the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, stems from persistent armed gang violence, widespread economic deterioration, and the gradual withdrawal of international humanitarian actors.
Among the affected populations, over 8,400 displaced persons living in makeshift camps are classified in IPC Phase 5, a critical level equivalent to famine conditions. Additionally, 2.1 million Haitians (19% of the population) are in Phase 4, classified as “emergency,” and 3.6 million (32%) in Phase 3, termed “crisis.”
ACF emphasizes several critical factors. Armed conflicts, particularly in Port-au-Prince and Artibonite, have triggered massive exoduses. The IOM reports that the number of internally displaced persons rose to 1.04 million by late 2024, marking a 48% increase in six months.
Simultaneously, the disintegration of both formal and informal economic systems, coupled with rampant inflation reaching 30% in February 2025, has significantly limited access to essential products. Rising food prices are worsening the situation for already vulnerable households.
This crisis is intensified by the dramatic reduction in humanitarian aid. Until February 2025, approximately one million people received monthly food assistance. Since March, several programs have been suspended due to resource shortages. “Funding is running out while half the population suffers from malnutrition,” warns Martine Villeneuve, ACF Director in Haiti.
In response to this crisis, ACF is intensifying its interventions in the most affected areas, particularly in displaced persons camps and gang-controlled sectors. The organization continues its health and nutrition services, notably through mobile medical units to reach isolated communities.
ACF urges the international community to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access and respect international humanitarian principles. The organization highlights that its multisector programs helped over 170,000 people across the country in 2024.
Without immediate intervention from donors and Haitian authorities, the situation risks deteriorating into a major humanitarian catastrophe in the coming weeks.
