The Food Crisis in Haiti

The situation in Haiti is critical: Rising food prices threaten the survival of thousands of families. According to the media, the costs of basic food staples in Haiti have risen 40-50% in the past year.

The effects of increased food, fuel and transportation costs are felt across the globe, but the poorest of the poor have been hit the hardest.

In wealthier nations, when hard times hit, we cut back on discretionary spending. We eat out less frequently, we cut back on movies, we are more careful with our energy usage the destitute, who already barely exist on less than one or two dollars a day, are faced with enormous price increases on the staple foods on which their very survival depends. What do they cut back on? says Robin Mathfood CEO of Food for the Poor.

PICA MUD COOKIES

The Haitian crisis is so extreme it forces people to eat mud cookies (call pica to relieve hunger. People use a combination of dirt, salt and vegetable shortening for a typical meal when it s all they can afford. A reporter sampled the mixture. He said it had a smooth consistency (but it) sucked all the moisture out of his mouth as soon as it touched his tongue.

The mud cookie diet causes sever malnutrition, intestinal distress and other deleterious effects from potentially deadly toxins and parasites.

Another problem is the cost. The stomach-filler is not free! Haitians have to buy it and edible clay prices are rising-by almost $1.50 in the past year. It now costs about $5 to make 100 cookies (about 5 cents each). Its cheaper then food, but many Haitians can t afford it.

1. 80% of Haitians are impoverished in the hemisphere s poorest country and one of the worlds poorest.
   
   
2. unemployment is rampant, and two-thirds or more of workers have only sporadic jobs.
   
   
3. those with them earn 11 to 12 cents an hour: the country s official minimum wage is $1.80 a day, but IMF figures show 55% of employed Haitians receive only 44 cents daily, an impossible amount to live on.