Report says a quarter of Haiti population undernourised

According to information in a report from the Unit, 1.9 million of the 7.9 million in Haiti are not adequately fed. (Photo: Beth Cloutier)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, October 16, 2009 – As World Food Day is recognised today, Haiti's National Food Security Coordination Unit is reporting that one in every four persons in that impoverished country is undernourished.

According to information in a report from the Unit, 1.9 million of the 7.9 million in Haiti are not adequately fed.

Women living in rural areas are among the worst affected.

Director of the National Food Security Coordination Unit, Pierre-Gary Mathieu, pointed out that the situation now is an improvement from last year, when three million Haitians were without food following four devastating hurricanes.

But he said there was the possibility of the numbers rising again.

"The risk of new storms, unavailability of food products, difficulties accessing production zones and the quality of the available food products, along with high rates of poverty, are among the factors that could produce a new crisis," Mathieu said.

He said that children under the age of five, women, and HIV/AIDS patients are among the most vulnerable.