Cholera threatens food security in Haiti

Haiti: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned today that fears of being infected with cholera in Haiti are threatening food security, already weakened after the January earthquake.

The FAO said that much of the rice crop in northwestern Haiti could be lost because many farmers don't want to grow rice for fear of being infected from river waters and canals.

The organization reported the growing refusal of consumers to buy products grown in regions affected by the epidemic, which could cause an even more negative impact on the domestic agricultural trade, the FAO said.

A timely response to the damage to Haitian agriculture caused by cholera will prevent the collapse of food security and the aggravation of the consequences of the earthquake on the poor rural population, said the UN agency.

It is urged specific educational campaigns for rural communities on health precautions, main clinical symptoms and guidelines to follow in cases of cholera.

Prensa Latina