A high-level mission recently carried out in Haiti by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) led by Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the FAO in collaboration with senior regional and emergency officials, aimed to strengthen food security in Haiti and the Dominican Republic through emergency agriculture and the protection of the regional agri-food system.

This Mission highlighted a critical reality for the Caribbean: food security is a shared regional challenge, requiring both vital emergency agricultural action to meet vital needs and cutting-edge prevention and preparedness systems to protect food supply chains.

FAO promoted a coordinated approach, strengthening agriculture as the front line of humanitarian assistance in Haiti, and biosecurity, disaster preparedness and market stability in the Dominican Republic.

Faced with the serious food crisis affecting Haiti, where more than 5.7 million people face acute food insecurity, a large part of the rural population continues to depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Building on this, FAO's approach to emergency food production allows the most vulnerable families to grow food in just 90 days, even in crisis situations. In 2025, FAO supported more than 140,000 people by distributing more than 210 tonnes of seeds to 76,000 farmers, enabling the production of more than 7,500 tonnes of food on 4,300 hectares.

"After visiting these two countries, I am deeply convinced that agriculture is not only a lifeline in the current crises, it is the foundation of stability and food security. In Haiti, where families suffer incessant shocks, agriculture remains the daily pillar that ensures household subsistence and the breeding ground for rebuilding resilient livelihoods," said Ms. Bechdol.

To consolidate these efforts, FAO is seeking $108 million to support 860,000 people in Haiti through emergency food production and livelihood protection.

"Urgently increased funding and support is essential to enable FAO to save lives and preserve human dignity by delivering concrete results for farmers and communities," said Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies and Resilience.

IH/ iciHaiti