Transcript Quisqueya University - Global Environmental Change and Food

Food Security in Haiti and
Global Environmental Change
Perspectives from
Université Quisqueya
GEC
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Climate change (increase of CO2 and other
greenhouse gases lead to an increase in
temperature, changes in rainfall pattern and water
demand)
Studies related to global environmental change
stated that the tropical regions (such as Africa and
Latin America) will suffer more from the negative
impact of Global Environmental Change.
Assumption,
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The more vulnerable is a country, the
poorer it will become over years.
The poorer is a country, the greater will be
the impacts of GEC on its food system.
The three components of food systems, with their main elements
FOOD
UTILISATION
FOOD
ACCESS
• Nutritional Value
• Social Value
• Food Safety
• Affordability
• Allocation
• Preference
FOOD
AVAILABILITY
• Production
• Distribution
• Exchange
Food Availability
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Production
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May decrease due to
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Change in rainfall pattern
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Shortening of rainy season
Increasing rain intensity
Flooding of low land areas
Increasing erosion phenomena
Severe droughts
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Tendency to soil salinization ( saltiness)
Water scarcity
Food Availability
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This is in harmony with the Ministry of
Environment 2001 Report on climate
change
This first Haitian report on climate change
(based on simulations performed on three crops
with the MAGICC-SCENGEN software)
reveals that by year 2030 and year 2060:
Food Availability
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Production
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White potato yield will decrease (even in
mountainous areas).
Rice yield will decrease due to a shortening of the
growing season linked to a reduction of all the other
phenological phases.
Corn yield will decrease because of a shortening of
some important phenological phases
Food Availability
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Distribution
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may be interrupted during the rainy season
due to the destruction of some vital
infrastructures (roads, bridges…)
This will hamper food circulation between
Port-au-Prince and the countryside.
Food Availability
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Exchange
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Importation will increase
Food Access
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Affordability
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 purchasing power
decrease in agricultural yields
 Frequent disasters (flood and drought)
 Inflation (increase of food prices)
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food unavailability
Food Access
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Allocation
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 % of the income allocated to food
 % income allocated to entertainment,
education, health
Food Access
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Preference
no strong preference
Food Utilization
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Nutritional value
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Will decrease.
More glucide than protein
Food Utilization
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Social value
Poverty will increase
Food Utilization
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Food safety
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Decrease as a result of
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Increase external food dependency
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All these will vary with the adaptation
capacity
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Use of new crops and/or new varieties more
adapted to new environmental conditions
Adjustment of planting date