WFP: Food insecurity in Yemen has risen to unprecedented levels

The World Food Programme said that food insecurity in Yemen rose to unprecedented levels last August.

In his report, “Yemen Food Security Update for September,” issued yesterday, Saturday, he said, “For the fourth consecutive month, the percentage of households suffering from insufficient food consumption has risen to unprecedented levels in Yemen, reaching 64 percent in August 2024.”

"This included 65 percent in areas under the influence of the internationally recognized government and 64 percent in areas under the control of the Houthis," he added.

“Severe food deprivation has almost doubled in northern Yemen (Houthi-controlled areas) to 37% over the past 12 months, compared to 30% in the south (government-controlled areas), and 23% of households in the north and 15% in the south reported that at least one member had gone a full day without food,” he continued.

He pointed out that the displaced are among the most affected groups in Yemen, where the level of severe food deprivation has almost doubled over the past year and was significantly higher than that of residents.

According to the UN report, the main drivers that contributed to the worsening of the situation are the difficult economic conditions and delays in food aid (in government-controlled areas), as well as the economic slowdown and the cessation of aid (in Houthi-controlled areas), and at the national level due to limited livelihood opportunities and devastating floods that made it difficult for people to access markets in August, affecting more than 500,000 people, especially in the cities of Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Marib, Taiz and Saada governorates.