Associations between hurricane exposure, food insecurity, and microfinance; a cross-sectional study in Haiti

Sina Kianersi, Reginal Jules, Yijia Zhang, Maya Luetke and Molly Rosenberg

World Development, 2021, vol. 145, issue C

Abstract: Natural disaster and food insecurity are prevalent in Haiti. Natural disasters may cause long-term food insecurity. Microfinance programs may provide resilience against this outcome. The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the association between the impact of Hurricane Matthew and long-term food insecurity and 2) to understand whether this association varies by participants’ membership in a microfinance program. ​In 2017–2018, we interviewed 304 Haitian female microfinance clients. We used log-binomial regression to evaluate the association between hurricane Matthew impact and long-term food insecurity, with evaluation of effect modification by timing of microfinance exposure. We found that one year after the hurricane, participants who were severely impacted by the hurricane were more likely to report poor dietary diversity and moderate to severe household hunger, compared to the less severely impacted participants. Both associations became insignificant among those who received their first microfinance loan before the hurricane. Natural disasters like hurricanes are associated with long-term food insecurity at individual and household levels. Microfinance programs might improve post-hurricane long-term food security.

Keywords: Food security; Microfinance; Natural disaster; Hurricane; Caribbean; Haiti (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:145:y:2021:i:c:s0305750x2100142x

DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105530

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