On Friday January 6, 2023, Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry participated in the launch and presentation ceremony of the food security sector program.

Excerpt from the Prime Minister's speech :

"[...] Alongside the security problems caused by armed gangs, national production and food insecurity are two major concerns for the Government. It is therefore with interest that I have come to participate in the activity organized today by the Ministry of Agriculture.

It is the duty of the Government to ensure that our compatriots find, in sufficient quantity and at affordable prices, foodstuffs that fit into our eating habits. This responsibility is incumbent on us to fully assume it, by making plans and giving ourselves the necessary means to this end.

We cannot rely solely on the support of humanitarian agencies to help the most deprived. We invite them to support national production by providing the necessary inputs to farmers (agricultural machinery, seeds, fertilizers, strengthening agricultural cooperatives, etc...) and by obtaining supplies from the local market.

Haiti has the capacity to produce the foods that form the basis of our diet. It is not normal that we have to import food that we can grow and that we used to produce to supply the local market and even export [...]

[....] Farmers, our brothers and sisters from outside need us to think of them too. We must supervise them and invest more in this sector, if we really want to change the face of our farmers. It is food that drives down food prices.

The Government is determined to mobilize the necessary resources so that, during the course of this year, we begin a significant shift in the fight against food insecurity.

In the next few days we should start receiving financial support under a program called 'Food Shock Window'. This support serves to help the countries most affected by the consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Haiti is one of the first countries to benefit from this program to enable us to implement a series of social protection actions."

Full speech by Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry :

HL/ HaitiLibre