Yemen's Food Security Crisis Worsens Amidst Multiple Crises

Strategic Insights -

The food security situation in southern Yemen is rapidly deteriorating, with nearly half of the population facing severe food insecurity. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF have warned that the crisis is likely to worsen in the coming months. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partial update reveals that 4.95 million people, including 1.5 million in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), are facing Crisis-level food insecurity or worse. This marks a 370,000-person increase in severe food insecurity compared to the previous period. If urgent assistance is not provided, an additional 420,000 people could fall into IPC Phase 3 or worse, bringing the total number of severely food-insecure people to 5.38 million, more than half of the population.

Key Takeaways:

  • Between May 2025 and August 2025, 4.95 million people in southern Yemen are facing Crisis-level food insecurity or worse, including 1.5 million in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).
  • This represents a 370,000-person increase in severe food insecurity compared to the previous period (November 2024 to February 2025).
  • If urgent assistance is not provided, an additional 420,000 people could fall into IPC Phase 3 or worse, bringing the total number of severely food-insecure people to 5.38 million.
  • The food insecurity crisis is driven by multiple overlapping crises, including sustained economic decline, currency depreciation in southern governorates, conflict, and increasingly severe weather events.
  • Humanitarian actors, including UNICEF, WFP, and FAO, are reprioritizing their efforts to target high-risk areas with integrated interventions in food security, nutrition, WASH, health, and protection sectors.
  • ISSA stated that "immediate support is needed" to ensure that WFP can continue to serve the most vulnerable families.
  • Dr. Hussein Gadain emphasized that agriculture holds the key to ending Yemen's food insecurity crisis, and urgent support is required to revitalize local food production and safeguard livelihoods.
  • Internally displaced persons, low-income rural households, and vulnerable children are particularly affected, facing increased vulnerability due to funding cuts, declining livelihood opportunities, and reduced coping mechanisms.
  • Peter Hawkins highlighted that approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition in Yemen, placing them at greater risk of illness, developmental delays, and death.

Statistics:

  • 4.95 million people in southern Yemen are facing Crisis-level food insecurity or worse (IPC Phase 3+).
  • 1.5 million people in southern Yemen are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).
  • The number of severely food-insecure people has increased by 370,000 compared to the previous period (November 2024 to February 2025).
  • An additional 420,000 people could fall into IPC Phase 3 or worse if urgent assistance is not provided.
  • 5.38 million people could be severely food-insecure by February 2026, more than half of the population.
  • 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition in Yemen.

Sources:

  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
  • UNICEF
  • Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partial update
  • Facts provided by Sierra, Hussein Gadain, and Peter Hawkins