UN Report Warns of Worsening Food Insecurity in Yemen

Aden — A new United Nations report has confirmed that Yemen’s acute food insecurity crisis continues to deteriorate, with more than half of the population expected to face severe hunger through the end of September.

In its Food Outlook and Trade Bulletin released Tuesday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that over 53% of Yemenis are projected to suffer crisis-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse) during the ongoing dry season. Millions remain at emergency levels (IPC Phase 4), the highest global rate recorded.

The FAO noted that while currency stabilization in government-controlled areas since August 2025 provided some relief, conditions in Houthi-held regions remain dire due to halted UN operations and a severe funding shortfall. The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan has received only 20% of required financing.

The report attributed the worsening situation to macroeconomic instability, recent military escalation, and regional disruptions in trade and energy through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, which have driven up global fuel costs and local food and transport prices.

Climate pressures are expected to intensify the crisis. FAO warned that the El Niño phenomenon could reduce rainfall in Yemen’s key agricultural zones by more than 80% below average, while temperatures may rise up to 3°C above normal. This threatens water resources, rain-fed crops, and grazing lands, further undermining livelihoods.

The organization stressed that without urgent international support, Yemen’s food security outlook will deteriorate further, leaving millions at risk of famine and deepening the country’s humanitarian emergency.