STORM AFTERMATH IN HAITI: DEVESTATING AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 001314

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX, WHA/CAR VDEPIRRO, S/ES-O/CMS
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR, OFDA
STATE PASS AGRICULURE
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT EAGR
EAID, ETRD, ECON, HA
SUBJECT: STORM AFTERMATH IN HAITI: DEVESTATING AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE

REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 1307

Summary
--------------


1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please protect
accordingly.


2. (SBU) Summary: Flooding from four consecutive tropical storms and
hurricanes has caused substantial damage to Haiti's agricultural
sector and its overall food security. The agricultural sector
accounts for approximately 27 percent of Haiti's GDP. Destruction
of transportation arteries is exacerbating the effects of damage to
croplands and livestock and accelerating the food inflation that has
been underway since late last year. The losses to this
strategically important sector will further harm Haiti's
already-strained economy and overall food security. New Minister of
Agriculture and Natural Resources (MARNDR) Joanas Gue has requested
increased USG support to rebuild Haiti's agricultural sector. The
preliminary MARNDR damage estimate of USD 20 million is preliminary
and partial and almost certainly will be revised upward. USAID and
other international donors are working to respond to the disaster.
End Summary.

Agricultural Damage Assessment and Food Insecurity
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) Minister Joanas Gue told USAID staff September 9 that the
flooding caused major damage nationwide to food crops such as rice,
maize, beans and plantains - which were close to being harvested -
as well as major damage to livestock. Preliminary estimates
indicate a 60 percent loss of spring crops (June to August) and the
possible compromise of the autumn planting and harvest because of
the lack of available seed. Cabaret -- a significant supplier of
plantains -- for example, lost many farms to the floods. The
Artibonite Valley, Haiti's traditional grainbasket, may have lost
more than 20,000 hectares of rice production. GoH preliminary
report indicated that over 90,000 head of cattle, goats, swine and
poultry were lost across the country, especially in the South-East
Department.


4. (U) The rural population has been significantly impacted by the
hurricanes. Preliminary reports indicate that approximately 150,000
families (up to 800,000 people) have lost access to customary
sources of food and reduced their ability to generate cash income.
Standing maize, sorghum, bean, cassava, sweet potato crops, and
banana plantations have been destroyed in at least 75 communes in
the ten regions of the country. The CNSA estimates that the floods,
erosion and landslides have destroyed about 64,000 hectares of
beans, maize, plantain, potato and sweet potato. USAID assesses
that these figures are severely underestimated, will require
additional vetting, and almost certainly will be revised upward.
These figures do not take into account the affected areas that
remain inaccessible. Crop and livestock damage directly and
indirectly affects the entire population. The abandonment of
agricultural lands and forced displacement will worsen food
insecurity in the months to come.


5. (SBU) According to Minister Gue, agricultural infrastructural
damage is most extensive in the Gonaives Plain (Artibonite
Department),Bas Plateau Central, and Cotes du Sud (Note: Gonaives
is approximately 100 miles south of Port-au-Prince and has a
population of 250,000-300,000. End Note.) Less extensive damage
exists in the Grande Anse, the eastern part of the North Department
and Plaine des Cayes. Prior to the flooding, the Artibonite Valley,
historically known for its plentiful production of rice and other
food crops, possessed 18,000 hectares of rice land. Gue believes
that as much as 60 percent of production from these lands could be
lost.


6. (U) Gue's ministry on September 12 issued a preliminary
assessment that put the dollar value of damage to the agricultural
sector at more than 20 million USD. In a statement accompanying the
report, Gue gave a preliminary assessment of "several tens of
thousands" of hectares of rice, banana, vegetable and fruit
plantations devastated; 21 irrigation systems destroyed and others
severely damaged. (Note: Information on infrastructural damage has
not been collected in the following areas: Artibonite Department,
North Department, Nippes and Grand-Anse. End Note.) The MARNDR
estimates the damage at over 25 million Haitian Gourdes (USD

PORT AU PR 00001314 002 OF 003


625,000) in the assessed areas. Gue also reported that the 12
million USD invested in the GoH's fertilizer subsidy program after
the April food riots was also probably lost.


7. (U) Minister of Economics and Finance Daniel Dorsainvil announced
on September 9 that the storms has seriously impacted the Haitian
economy and would worsen food insecurity. He noted that his
ministry was revising growth estimates for 2008 downward to less
than 2.5 percent as a result of the exogenous shocks from the
hurricanes and rising prices of food and fuel.


8. (U) Media have begun to report deaths of homeless victims in
Gonaives, including at least two deaths due to hunger. The
agricultural losses are causing immediate increases in food prices
in Haiti, notably in the North Department, La Gonave and Gonaives.
Impassable roads and collapsed bridges are preventing the transport
of goods between Port-au-Prince and the provinces, which provide
local food products to the capital city. Flooded road networks are
also blocking access to local markets in rural areas. The result is
rising food prices in much of Haiti, exacerbating the food inflation
that was already underway, and which was behind violent rioting in
April that brought down the government.

Government of Haiti's Response/Action/Next Steps
-------------- --------------


9. (SBU) The MARNDR's National Committee for Food Security (CNSA)
will take the lead compiling a comprehensive report on the
cumulative agricultural sector damage caused by tropical storms and
hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike and their impact on food
security. The CNSA report will be based on the information
collected in household surveys and input from focus groups. The
report will include recommended plans for mitigating the damage
caused by the hurricanes. It is intended to guide donor and GoH
recovery interventions in the sector. The CNSA relies heavily on
technical assistance support from USAID -- through the Famine Early
Warning System mechanism (FEWS) implemented by Chemonics-World Food
Program (WFP) and the UN's Office of Food and Agriculture
Organization(FAO). Minister Gue (MARNDR) seeks USG support for the
following priority areas:

-- Bean and corn seed for the next planting season in
November-December. Limited seed availability in Haiti makes imports
a necessity. (Note: To help Haiti cope after the April food riots,
USAID/OFDA pledged 150,000 USD for emergency seeds and tools to
enable 30,000 farmers to plant basic food crops in the
November-December agricultural season. End Note.)

-- Cash and Food for Work programs for clean-up and other
rehabilitation/repair of major affected irrigation land. Minister
Gue specifically mentioned Plaine des Gonaives, Bas Plateau and Cote
Sud as the highest priorities. He added that the work done
following Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 would have to be duplicated.

-- Technical advisors to assist with planning, evaluation and
monitoring, donor and partner coordination, and agricultural
infrastructure; plus a watershed specialist and livestock
specialist.


10. (SBU) Minister Gue has requested an increase of the Ministry's
budget of 12-15 percent, up from the normal request of 5 percent, to
help rebuild agricultural infrastructure and boost domestic food
production.

Donor Community Response/Action
--------------


11. (U) The FAO announced it would contribute 10.5 million USD
needed to rehabilitate agricultural production and combat livestock
illness. Five million USD will be used to rebuild the livelihoods
of the farmers, two million USD to rehabilitate the irrigation
network, and 3.5 million USD for emergency assistance to prevent
clostridial diseases, classical swine fever and Newcastle disease.


12. (U) USAID has reprogrammed five million USD to assist in
hurricane emergency response operations. A USAID/OFDA team is
working in partnership with the USS Kearsarge air and sea assets to
improve access to the affected areas and accelerate ongoing food and
water distribution. The WFP will increase its food commodity stocks
in the upcoming weeks with a preliminary Food for Peace contribution

PORT AU PR 00001314 003 OF 003


of 7 million USD. USG humanitarian assistance to Haiti amounts to
20 million USD to date.


13. (U) Post will continue to monitor and report on agricultural
damage and assessments.

SANDERSON