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HAITI
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISASTER
DATE-TIME: 1968
LQCATION:
Northwest Peninsula
DISASTER VICTIM:
No, Needing Food Assistance
210,217
A lack of winter raLns both in 1967 and 1968 brought near famine conditions
to the northwestern peninsula of Haiti, Basic foodstuff's like maize, beans
and mangoes were virtually wiped out, The population in this area lives at
or near subsistence levels even in normal years. The Haitian American Help
Organization (HAW), autonmus c w t y develqmnt unit in the Haitian
northwest, financed by CARE, began receiving reports early in January 1968
of impending famine in the area, HACHO discovered that families had food
on hand to last until the normal spring harvest, but not enough to carry
them through until the second harvest in September, In lcooperation with
the Haitian Government, HACHO established a program of food-forcwork
projects which would carry the people through the worst period of food
shortage. Chce the pmgram was set up and word spread, peasants were able
to consume their food stocks at normdl rates haw been assured of eventual
new supplies.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF HAITI
'Ihe Government of Haiti appropriated $15,000 for internal transport costs
of food to begin the famine pmjects in the southern port;im of the northwest
peninsula, and cooperated with HACHO to bring aid to all of the needy
people in the affected areas, The GOH provided ag~icu1ttwa.l technicians
fm the Mnistry of Agriculture, Haitians performed conmunity development
work in their localities in retum for food aid, This mbpresented a break
with precedents in former famine projects in Haiti when food was distributed
on a dole basis, The technique established by HACHO fow~d support not only
with the populace but also with Haitian officials as evidenced by the
technical assistance given by the GOH to the proJects,