More than 17 million people are hungry in the conflict-wracked African nation of Yemen with 20 of the country’s 22 governates in an “emergency” or “crisis” situation with regard to food security, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
The FAO, citing data from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released this week, said Yemen was currently one of the “worst hunger crises in the world”. They said the new figures show a 21 per cent increase in the number of people facing food insecurity since June last year.
The crisis is being driven by the ongoing conflict in the nation, the FAO said.
“The conflict has a devastating impact on agricultural livelihoods. Crop and livestock production fell significantly compared to pre-crisis levels,” said Salah Hajj Hassan, FAO representative in Yemen. “It is absolutely essential that the humanitarian response encompass food and agriculture assistance to save not only lives but also livelihoods.”
Stephen Anderson, World Food Programme representative and country director in Yemen, said the situation had deteriorated rapidly since the conflict escalated two years ago. “The current dire food security and nutrition situation in Yemen requires significant financial resources to allow immediate, adequate and sustained food, nutrition and other assistance for those in greatest need to prevent a slide into famine,” he said. “Unrestricted access to all areas, including for commercial trade, will also be critical to ensure the food insecurity in the country does not further deteriorate.”
Dr Meritxell Relaño, representative of UN child-focused agency UNICEF, said the country was facing the highest levels of acute malnutrition in Yemen’s recent history. “Of the 2.2 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, 462,000 are Severely and Acutely Malnourished (SAM). To put things in perspective, a SAM child is 10 times more at risk of death if not treated on time than a healthy child his or her age. The ongoing conflict and food insecurity will have long-term implications on the health and overall development of children in Yemen.”
The conflict in Yemen broke out in 2014 when Houthi rebels rose up against the government. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched an air campaign against the rebels. More than 10,000 people have been killed and some 2.8 million displaced since the conflict broke out.
