A newly published quantitative study on the Nagorno-Karabakh population provides data-driven insights, yielding a poignant exposé on the unfolding effects of the Lachin Corridor blockade in Artsakh. By meticulously orchestrating a Rapid Needs Assessment spanning from July 30 to August 4, 2023, encompassing 418 households, Hub Artsakh, a NGO based in Nagorno-Karabakh, adeptly harnessed robust methodologies to distill the real and unfiltered needs and concerns of Artsakh's populace.

Face-to-face interviews were conducted  across four  locales - Stepanakert, Martuni, Martakert, and Askeran. The driving force behind this endeavor was to tangibly encapsulate and amplify the pulsating needs and anxieties coursing through the region's population.

The stark numerical revelations from this assessment  serve as an incontrovertible testament to the urgency of the crisis.

In the revealing survey a disquieting reality emerges - only a mere 5 percent of respondents reported their households had sufficient food supply, while a staggering 65 percent conveyed their food supply was partially sufficient, leaving them grappling with a disheartening scarcity. The grim portrait of food insufficiency, affirming the dire state of affairs in Nagorno-Karabakh emerges as according to the survey, an alarming 95 percent of households find themselves trapped in the clutches of food deprivation.

An overwhelming 89 percent of respondents pointed to a stark reality - there simply isn't enough food to be found in the markets. A significant 43 percent lamented the unavailability of transportation to reach these crucial food sources, effectively cutting off their access. The financial strain of rising food prices and limited means dealt a heavy blow, as 25 percent cited their meager budgets as a stumbling block. In a harrowing testament to the lengths families go to shield their young from hunger, 38 percent of adults recounted foregoing their own meals to ensure their children's sustenance. In this unforgiving landscape, where necessity dictates sacrifice, 68 percent of households scaled back their daily meals, while 51 percent resigned themselves to less appealing and budget-friendly foods.

As the world watches, Nagorno-Karabakh’s food crisis, brought on by the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, continues to deepen, casting a long shadow over the well-being of its populace. The dire data underscores the pressing need for concerted efforts to address this humanitarian emergency.

Download the full Rapid Needs Assessment HERE.

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