The Ministry of Agriculture distributed farm kits to 1,400 producers in the commune of Kenscoff on Saturday, October 3, with support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Each kit contains a watering can, fertilizer, a hoe and a rake. The ministry said the tools are meant to help farmers keep producing in the mountains above Port-au-Prince, a main source of vegetables for the capital.

Kenscoff has been under attack by armed groups for nearly 21 months. A rights group reported that 164 people were killed in two attacks there in August.

The new French ambassador to Haiti, Gautier Lekens, also visited the town hall. He saluted the local authorities and police who, he said, continue to carry out their duties alongside the population despite the risks.

The UN estimates that 5.8 million Haitians face acute hunger this year. Violence that cuts farmers off from their fields and from markets is one of the main causes.