Internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince worst-affected by acute food insecurity

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Acute food insecurity continues to worsen in the country, particularly in marginalized neighborhoods of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (ZMPP), and in the departments of the Ouest, Nord-Ouest, and Grand’Anse. Poor households in these areas and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the capital are the most affected. IDPs have lost essential livelihood assets and are increasingly exposed to physical and financial risks in maintaining income-generating activities and accessing food due to gang extortion and high prices of basic food items. Between August 2025 and January 2026, food insecurity could further deteriorate in the absence of concrete actions aimed at stabilizing the country and especially at reestablishing government authority in the Haitian capital, most of which remains under control of armed gangs.
Gang-related violence has persisted in the ZMPP and the Artibonite and Centre departments, disrupting livelihoods, markets, and trade, and causing population displacements. Although the intensity of violence in Port-au-Prince has slightly decreased since May 2025, likely due in part to the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) and the support of private security companies, gangs still control about 90 percent of the capital. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), 2,680 people were killed between January 1 and May 30, 2025, 957 were injured, and 316 were kidnapped. Compared to the monthly averages of 2024, this represents a 15 percent increase in deaths, a 4 percent increase in injuries, and a 49 percent decrease in kidnappings. Homicides and attacks against civilians and security forces are expected to continue at current levels in the very short term and then increase again through at least February 2026.
The total number of IDPs due to armed gang violence is estimated at around 1.3 million people. The ZMPP remains the epicenter of the violence, where most IDPs live in makeshift sites and are exposed to alarming living conditions, including lack of food, income-earning opportunities, and exhaustion of livelihoods, among others. At the same time, mass deportations of Haitians reached nearly 168,700 people between January to August 17, with over 98 percent coming from the Dominican Republic. These deported migrants are likely to increase pressure on local communities, which are increasingly facing limited livelihood opportunities.
Spring harvests began in July and are estimated to be below average, despite normal to above-normal rainfall between March and June. This is due to reduced area planted caused by insecurity and difficulties accessing fertilizers and seeds. Soil preparation and planting for fall crops are underway, particularly in humid and semi-humid mountain areas and irrigated zones. However, below-average rainfall could affect these crops (maize and beans) and likely hinder the start of the winter agricultural season. Dry conditions are forecast through November, along with above-average temperatures, which may impact normal crop development. Climate forecasts for the fall season suggest further below-average harvests. According to preliminary annual estimates from FEWS NET for the 2025/26 marketing year, overall cereal production – particularly maize, rice, and sorghum – is expected to decline again compared to the previous year, remaining below the five-year averages by 35, 15, and 13 percent, respectively. Maize, one of the main spring crops, is expected to suffer countrywide losses.
Market supplies in rural and urban areas of the Sud, Nord-Est, Nippes, Grand’Anse, and Ouest are estimated to be near average following the spring harvests. However, markets in areas affected by gang violence (particularly ZMPP, the Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre) remain disrupted. Although slightly lower than last year, prices for staple foods, especially imported rice and local beans and maize, remain very high compared to the five-year average. This is due to the combined effects of insecurity, relative scarcity of local products, and currency depreciation (currently trading at 131.75 HTG/USD). Additionally, annual food inflation remained above 31 percent in the first half of 2025, exceeding headlinel inflation, which fluctuates between 20 and 30 percent. Due to disruptions to the informal labor sector, the incomes of poor and very poor urban households are significantly below average and resulting in reduced purchasing power for these primarily market-dependent households and undermining their access to food. The most-affected areas are those paralyzed by violence, such as the ZMPP (Croix-des-Bouquets, Carrefour, Martissant, downtown Port-au-Prince, Delmas) and rural communes whose trade routes are under gang control.
Between August and January 2026, further deterioration of food security is expected. Gangs are likely to continue attempting to expand their control over larger parts of the Centre and Artibonite departments, resulting in continued violence and new displacements. Consequently, access constraints on the northern, western, and southern routes out of the capital are expected to persist through January 2026, if not beyond. This will likely hinder trade flows between the capital and the Sud, Nord, and central Plateau departments, leading to significant disruptions. Additionally, the intensifying gang violence continues to affect formal and informal income-generating activities, food supply, and market functioning. Food insecurity will be most pronounced for IDPs living in camps in the ZMPP, and for the very poor households of the Nord-Ouest and Grand’Anse, both of which remain populations of highest concern.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Haiti Key Message Update August 2025: Internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince worst-affected by acute food insecurity, 2025.

This Key Message Update provides a high-level analysis of current acute food insecurity conditions and any changes to FEWS NET's latest projection of acute food insecurity outcomes in the specified geography. Learn more here.