Managing aflatoxin risk in smallholder peanut production for humanitarian foods in Haiti: Lessons from the Peanut Innovation Lab and a case study food security resilience.

In 2024, Haiti was ranked 122 of 127 countries by the Global Hunger Index with >50% of the population undernourished and >22% of children stunted. UN agencies are reporting that 2025 is an even worse crisis. While long recognized for natural risks from hurricanes, earthquakes and deforestation, as well as chronic political and social instability, the country is facing ever-increasing food insecurity due to longstanding dependence on imports while neglecting domestic food production and increasing logistical isolation with port and border closures. However, despite the challenges, a model of remarkable resiliency and innovation has emerged for supplying domestically sourced humanitarian foods, including peanut-based Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods. This presentation will focus on lessons learned from aflatoxin management as a case study for broader implications in applied plant sciences to address food insecurity in complex humanitarian environments.