Hurricane Ian, a category 4 storm, hit western Cuba with sustained winds of more than 200 km/h and left a trail of destruction. In particular 19 municipalities of the provinces Pinal del Río, Artemisa, Mayabeque and Isla de la Juventud were severely affected. The hurricane caused severe damage to housing, health and educational infrastructure as well as access to drinking water and electricity. Additionally, critical damage has been reported to food storage and distribution facilities, thousands of hectares of crops, agriculture and livestock production as well as fishing, which are the main sources of livelihoods among the population in affected municipalities. Agricultural land in the provinces of Pinar del Río and Artemisa, including more than 20,000 hectares of land for food production, have been destroyed. This has a serious negative impact on food security. Furthermore, Hurricane Ian hit Cuba amid a complex post-COVID-19 context and a severe sociopolitical and economic crisis.

National and local authorities are leading the ongoing response efforts to the challenging situation. However, due to the scale of the disaster and the severity of damages, the government receives additional support from the United Nations System (UNS) in Cuba. The UNS Plan of Action for Cuba with a funding requirement totaling USD 42 million and targeting 798’000 people in need aims to support both immediate response efforts and medium-term recovery to alleviate the severe damages left by Hurricane Ian and support the most affected population.

1)    To provide food assistance to meet the needs of the most affected communities and prevent the deterioration of food and nutritional security of the population, with emphasis on at risk groups.

2)    Immediate restoration of food production and livelihoods of affected communities through rehabilitating local food systems' capacities for food production, processing, distribution and marketing and providing food-related services in social safety networks.

Risultati principali attesi:  

-    Provision of food assistance to 534,162 people in the 19 most affected municipalities in the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Mayabeque and the special municipality Isla de la Juventud;

-    Improved food storage and distribution capacities in the most affected municipalities through mobile warehouses;

-    Recovery of livelihoods and production in the agricultural and fishing sectors in the most affected municipalities;

-    Strengthened productive capacities of agricultural food chains in the affected territories through supplies, tools, equipment and technical support;

-    Recovery, preparation and safe consumption of food in the social protection networks that offer meals;

-    Pregnant women, nursing women and children between six months and two years receive adequate nutrition.

Fase 1 01.12.2022 - 31.05.2024   (Completed)