In the Aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Heifer International Urges Global Action for Farmer-Led Resilience

As COP30 Approaches, Heifer Warns Time Is Running Out to Strengthen Community-Based Food Systems

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti and LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After Hurricane Melissa brought intense rains, deadly floods, and widespread devastation across Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and other parts of the Caribbean, global development organization Heifer International is urging stronger investment in farmer-led resilience to protect smallholder farmers who sustain the world's food systems and are most vulnerable to changing weather patterns.

As world leaders prepare to meet at COP30 this month in Belem, Brazil, Heifer International warns that the world is running out of time to strengthen community-based resilience and safeguard rural livelihoods that anchor global food security.

"Hurricane Melissa has shown once again that changes in environmental patterns are not a distant concern — they are daily realities for rural families," said Hervil Cherubin, Senior Country Director for Haiti at Heifer International. "As nations gather in Brazil, they must place these communities at the center of the global resilience agenda."

In Haiti, smallholder farmers — who produce up to 70% of the country's food — are already contending with deforestation, soil erosion, and recurring storms. Hurricane Melissa wiped out critical crops, drowned livestock, and destroyed seed stocks, putting thousands of families at risk of acute food insecurity.

According to data from Haiti's Civil Protection Directorate (DPC), the Category 5 hurricane, which weakened slightly as it swept past Jamaica and Haiti, caused severe flooding and destruction across the Grand Sud, leaving dozens dead and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

In Petit-Goâve alone, heavy rains and landslides claimed at least 25 lives and devastated crops and livestock, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of rural communities to increasingly frequent climate shocks.

Heifer International is working with national authorities and partners to assess needs and coordinate response efforts, focusing on rural areas hardest hit by flooding and crop losses. Immediate priorities include safe shelter, clean water, hygiene kits, food assistance, agricultural tools, and targeted cash and seed support.

"These communities are not just weathering the storm — they are cultivating the solutions we all need," said Oscar Castañeda, Senior Vice-President of the Americas at Heifer International. "Investing in their resilience is both a moral and strategic imperative for the global community."

Heifer emphasizes that resilience must become a structural global priority, not only to rebuild after disasters but to reduce vulnerability and break the cycle of loss and recovery. Its ongoing work in Haiti and across the Americas focuses on:

• Regenerative and climate-smart agriculture to restore degraded soils and strengthen ecosystem services.
• Livelihood diversification through farmer cooperatives and value chains that stabilize rural economies.
• Women's leadership and youth innovation as drivers of resilience and inclusive growth.
• Community-based preparedness and early warning systems that integrate local knowledge with scientific forecasting.

As nations prepare for COP30, Heifer International calls on policymakers, donors, and the private sector to commit to measurable actions that strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers and rural food systems — including adaptation financing accessible to community-led initiatives, sustainable land and water management, and investment in agricultural innovation for vulnerable regions.

The lessons from Haiti resound far beyond its borders: resilience begins where every harvest begins — in the hands of farmers. As the climate crisis accelerates, investing in their knowledge and leadership is not charity, but strategy. Ahead of COP30, Heifer International calls on governments, donors, and private actors to commit — not with promises, but with policies, partnerships, and funding that place smallholder farmers at the heart of a just and sustainable future.

About Heifer International
Since 1944, Heifer International has worked with more than 52 million people around the world to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way, while caring for the Earth. Heifer currently operates in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States, supporting farmers and food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income.
For more information, visit www.heifer.org.

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