Haiti: Growing Concern Among Poor Over Hunger and Rural Economy

Many poor Haitians have taken to referring meanwhile to hunger as "Klorox", a reference to a bleach which can kill people if enough of it is swallowed. Riding the tap-tap one hears references to "Klorox" when people mean hunger, a code word to mask the daily misery.

Recently, international headlines have paid attention to hunger in Haiti, where people resort to eating mud pies.

During the 1980s, due to pressure from the United States government, the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier wiped out the creole pigs (porca) that were indigenous to Haiti. After that catastrophic policy, peasants struggled more than ever to feed their children and to take them to school. The pigs were crucial to the rural economy, the "bank account" of the peasants. The problems were compounded by neo-liberal policies first implemented by the military government of Henry Namphy and continually pressured upon the country over the following decades. Trade liberalization meant that food imports undercut farmers who were also denied the means to invest in their production.

In recent months students and civil society groups have demanded the government place its focus on rebuilding the rural economy. But most of the government reforms have thus far been superficial. In March 2008 Jacques Edouard Alexis, the Prime Minister of Haiti, invited the United States' first lady Laura Bush to visit Haiti. This occurred just after Forbes magazine classified Haiti as among the most violent countries, just beneath Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mr. Alexis hoped that the visit would improve the image of Haiti in the world. "When a magazine like Forbes classed Haiti in the 4th position after Iraq and Afghanistan for example, this visit should give Haiti a chance to present a different image of what we used to see", he explained.

While the government continues to work to improve the image of the country, the lasting changes needed to propel a rural economy and social investment programs are null and void.

In the Artibonite’s Valley and the Cayes’ Valley-two places that could potentially supply all of Haiti with rice-a breadbasket for the country-the government has not proceeded with improving to any large extent. According to many Haitians, even poor who rely on cheap foreign rice, developing the countries potential is what the government needs to do.

Haitians living in the United States are also advocating a multi-pronged program to revitalize the rural economy. And in Port-au-Prince it is more common now to hear outrage on the streets over the matter.

Merisma Jean-Claudel, a young high school graduate from Port-au-Prince explained over the phone "...people can’t buy food. Gasoline prices are going up. It is very hard for us over here. The cost of living is the biggest worry for us, no peace in stomach means no peace in the mind. Although, many can’t pay taxi or tap-tap fares just from Delmas to the downtown of Port-Au-Prince, I wonder if others will be able to survive the days ahead because things are very, very hard. It is imperative that the government reopen food banks to save lives. In 2003 they had food banks in the popular districts. Now they are closed. The government must reopen them if they don't want people to die."

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