Despite a history of violence and high vulnerability to natural disasters, Haiti has never remained at the centre of attention of humanitarian donors for too long. While in particularly critical years official government donors’ funding has risen dramatically, the volume of financial resources committed to Haiti has always been relatively modest in comparison with the scale of the humanitarian situation in the country. For many years Haiti has been the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, where an estimated half of the population survive on less than a dollar a day. It is also a country of great political instability and significant economic and social turmoil. Food insecurity is chronic, and Haiti is highly dependent on international aid and the import of goods for its subsistence. Almost 30% of the state budget and 60% of household income are destined for the purchase of food.
