By Pau Mompó Alberola
Santo Domingo (EFE).- More than half of Haiti’s population, 54.2%, is suffering from severe food deprivation, a sharp increase compared to 2006, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The crisis, driven by internal conflict and economic instability, is worsening across the Caribbean nation, FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero told EFE.
“Every single indicator in Haiti has deteriorated severely,” said Torero, the FAO’s second-in-command, during an interview in Santo Domingo. “The main problem is the internal conflict and a totally unstable economy.”
Torero stressed that political instability is fueling hunger in Haiti.
“It is a political decision. We believe they need to solve their internal conflict and then pursue greater macroeconomic sustainability so the country can start moving forward,” he said.
The FAO is focusing its efforts on rural areas to boost agricultural production, though the epicenter of the crisis remains in the capital, Port-au-Prince. “Haiti has very good agricultural producers and fertile land,” Torero noted.
The Rome-based organization is distributing seeds, fertilizers, and tools to increase food supply. “This won’t solve the problem, but it can help minimize it,” Torero added.
High cost of healthy diets in the Caribbean
Haiti’s food insecurity is compounded by a broader regional challenge: the high cost of healthy diets.
According to the FAO, the Caribbean has the most expensive healthy diet in the world, averaging 5.40 dollars per person per day.
“In the Caribbean, 50.7% of the population cannot afford a diversified diet, one that includes proteins, fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, not just calories,” Torero explained.
The economist attributed the problem to the region’s dependence on food imports and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which crippled the tourism sector.
“Being a net food importer means you face price volatility, currency depreciation, and rising input costs,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Torero expressed optimism that Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly South America, could still reach the UN’s “Zero Hunger” target by 2030.
He highlighted improvements in countries like the Dominican Republic, where undernourishment dropped to 3.6% in 2025, down from 8.7% in 2019, thanks to stronger social protections such as school meals.
Africa faces growing hunger and debt burden
Torero also pointed to Africa as the region most affected by hunger. According to the FAO’s 2025 report on global food security (SOFI 2025), hunger impacts 20.2% of the African population, compared with 6.7% in Asia and 5.1% in Latin America and the Caribbean.
By 2030, an estimated 530 million people worldwide will be hungry, with 60% of them in Africa.
“Africa has the largest number of conflicts, combined with the effects of climate change, high poverty, and weak resilience,” Torero warned.
He added that many African economies are struggling with heavy debt burdens, limiting their ability to import food. “Their import costs have risen due to both higher prices and currency devaluations, while much of their resources go to debt servicing,” he said.
Despite the bleak outlook, Torero emphasized that Africa has untapped potential. “If the continent can harness its capacities, we believe the numbers could be more positive by 2030,” he concluded. EFE
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