Hunger Crisis in Nicaragua

The hunger crisis is the result of various factors, not only the severe drought that we are experiencing in this part of the country but also the fact that in the northern part of Nicaragua events have triggered mass unemployment. In the last month or so, the drought, combined with falling coffee prices and the precarious bank situation, has led to the bankruptcy of several big and important coffee plantations and cooperatives. This in turn triggered the mass migration of peasants to the city in search of food, which has quite overwhelmed city officials and created a lot of attention to the crisis. That is mostly in the northern part of the country in and around Matagalpa.

In this area (León), the crisis has been the result of severe losses in the harvest from the first season which has not been helped by the deepening drought. In many of the communities we have visited in Santa Rosa and in and around Los Zarzales, there was a major, if not total, loss of the harvest. In addition, this winter has been exceedingly poor; one only needs to see the land on the way to Santa Rosa – hard, dry, and parched. Most people have gotten by on a miserable diet of tortillas with salt.

In recent weeks, the attention caused by the migration of masses of hungry peasants has awakened most of Nicaragua to the reality and depth of this crisis which has particularly affected children and the elderly. Several organizations have mobilized to help. The local government has created a work for food program, which is ultimately a temporary solution. On the other hand, you have President Alemán declaring that indeed there is no hunger crisis, which puts in (further) doubt the seriousness with which the government will tackle the problem and the efforts it will – or will not – make to alleviate the crisis. The other major player is the World Food Program. However, they have declared that they will not be able to provide relief for most areas and have targeted the northern communities on the Atlantic Coast. The WFP has also been clear in their concern for the situation in Nicaragua and in reaching out to other organizations that might help in the relief effort.

We feel compelled to do something particularly in and around the communities with which we have relationships. Our plan is to use Hurricane funds (i.e. emergency funds) to provide some relief to those families most affected and who have not and are not receiving aid from any other source.

The Project Response

We have committed to sending aid to 133 families in several communities in and around El Jicaral and to 141 families in the communities of Hato Viejo, La Mora, Hatillo, and El Boqueron, in and around Santa Rosa.

These families are the most needy in these communities and are not receiving aid from another source. Also, each family must send at least one member to do at least 3 hours of community service work in exchange for each month’s packet. We will be going to those communities this week to see what work is being done. Some will be at the new Nutrition Center in Santa Rosa, some will be on road work and some in reforestation.

These families can count on assistance from us for three months, and each packet will contain the following:

• 25 lbs. corn
• 10 lbs. rice
• 10 lbs. beans
• 10 lbs. sugar
• 1 liter of oil
• 1 lb. salt

They have already received the first packet and the other two will be delivered in September and October. The total cost will be $8,447. We are grateful that we have funds available to help in such an emergency.

(See also PML’s Response to the Hunger Crisis.)