In order to meet immediate food needs and restore the livelihoods of food-insecure households following the passage of hurricane Matthew, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the "Alianza por la Solidaridad" have just launched a project to rehabilitate and strengthen the livelihoods of agricultural households in the Departments of the South and South-East", financed by the Directorate General of Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the European Commission (ECHO), amounting to €2.8 million, including €254,000 in co-financing.

Damage caused by Hurricane Matthew heavily affected productive systems and the livelihoods in the food supply Departments, in particular the Southeast, the South, the Nippes and the Grand'Anse, with agricultural losses amounting to 38 billion gourdes according to the sectoral needs assessment report Post-hurricane Matthew carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture.

This situation led FAO and Alianza por la Solidaridad, with financial support from ECHO, to assist 8,800 affected households through the implementation of this project, the main objectives of which are to: provide food assistance to households vulnerable in the form of a transfer of money for the lean period (période de soudure); Improving the access of agricultural households to the gardening seeds (vivrières and maraîchères); Establish community agro-forestry nurseries; Strengthen the nutritional education of agricultural households and promote the adoption of good climatic-resilient practices and boost artisanal fishing activities.

This project is implemented jointly by the two organizations in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, through its deconcentrated structures in the communes of Bainet and Côtes-de-Fer (South-East) and Port-à-Piment et Chardonnières (South).

"Alianza por la Solidaridad", which has been working in the field of food security for 12 years in the Southeast Department, is leading the food assistance strategy through the transfer of money and strengthening means of existence in the communes of Bainet, Côtes-de-Fer and Port-à-Piment. FAO, for its part, provides technical assistance to facilitate the application and replication of good agricultural practices that are resilient to climatic hazards and improve the nutritional status of beneficiary agricultural households.

The project was presented to local authorities and community teams were also set up, facilitating the participatory targeting of beneficiaries. Field activities, which will continue until February 2018, have already started. Agricultural inputs and fishing equipment are being transported to the target communes, where community nurseries and training sessions in good agricultural and nutritional practices will be carried out.

HL/ HaitiLibre