September 9, 2020
Dr. Abdul Wahed Othman Mukred - Head of Food Security Technical Secretariat, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Sana'a, Yemen
Yemen suffers from the worst humanitarian crisis in the world since the conflict began in March 2015. The number of people in need of food reached about 24.3 million people, equivalent to more than 80% of the total population. Projections indicate that about 20.1 million people need interventions during the period June-December 2020 while about 10 million individuals suffer from acute food insecurity.[1]
As a result of the conflict, which entered its sixth year, Yemen lost $90 billion in economic output and gross domestic product decreased by 50 percent, one of the largest decreases anywhere in the world. Lack of resources is disrupting basic life-saving services for millions of people, including reproductive health and women's protection services.
Funding shortages make it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to meet the major needs of the humanitarian crisis, as 31 of the 41 major humanitarian programs of the United Nations are expected to reduce or close unless funding is available in the coming months. The Fund's appeal for $100.5 million for the humanitarian response program in 2020 has so far received only $41.7 million.[2]
The coronavirus pandemic lead to the emergence of a crisis in the drug market for drugs related to fever diseases: drugs disappeared from the market, and prices of the available drugs increased to a record of up to five times compared to previous prices before May. The disappearance of vitamin C from the market, and the scarcity of analgesics in general are examples.
The reduction in humanitarian aid in parts of Yemen not controlled by recognized government reached 50% since last April 2020. This will affect more than 8.5 million people who have been receiving this aid continuously and most likely will suffer from acute food insecurity.
While fish wealth in Yemen is an important source of income, employment opportunities and achieving food security for coastal population communities, where the fish sector represents 3% of the GDP[3]. Despite the importance of this economic sector, it faces great challenges as a result of the exacerbation of the conflict that has lasted for more than five years causing further suffering of the fishing communities, and the decrease of per capita consumption of fish from 14 kg to 2.5 kg, by 85%.[4]
In June, locust swarms invaded Amanat Al-Asimah after they invaded the valley of Merkha and the governorates of Hadhramaut and Al-Jawf and are currently spreading in large quantities in Marib. Locust swarms are in the stage of mating and planting eggs in the sandy and agricultural areas and caused great losses to farmers[5] and reached Sana’a, Dhamar and Al-Mahweet.
With the decline in food imports, the exacerbation of the ongoing conflict, the decline in external remittances, the depreciation of the local currency, and the spread of the Corona pandemic in Yemen, among factors reduced the purchasing power of individuals, which led to difficulty in accessing food. The share of households that have weak food consumption and consume three food groups or less (very low food diversity) was higher than 22% in February 2020 and rose to 30% in April 2020.[6]
With regard to water supply and household needs, the water supply was lower than the normal rate in some governorates, for example in Dhamar during the month of May, the water supply was less than the normal rate and the remote areas of the city were deprived from the water supply of the local water and sanitation corporation. This forced citizens to obtain their water needs from the Al-Sabeel (charitable) Tanks, or by purchasing water from water tanks that are transported by mobile carriers (Water trucking vehicles). The cost of one cubic meter of this source is about $4 or 2000 Yemeni riyals.[7] In Taiz Governorate, government water supplies were suspended in most neighborhoods of the city of Taiz, forcing residents to obtain private water, but it is not suitable for drinking and its prices are high, reaching 2700 Yemeni riyals per cubic meter, while technically treated water prices have reached between 8000-9000 riyals per cubic meter, which makes the majority of families with low or no income unable to purchase this water.[8]
In conclusion, with the continuing conflict that enters the sixth year, the loss of sources of income, the devaluation of the riyal against the dollar, and the weak purchasing power, the current situation and socio-economic indicators point to the possibility of sharp worsening in the social and economic situation and to further worsening in the general situation of food security in the country in light of the absence of any noticeable improvement in its main causes.
Sources:
[1] Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS): Country Brief 10th July 2020
[2] UNFPA Response in Yemen: Monthly Situation Report #04 April 2020
[3] Speech of the Minister of Fisheries on status of Fisheries Resources. The conference on Fisheries Resources held in Rome on the 8th of May 2020.
[4] General Authority for Fishing in the Red Sea March 2020
[5] Food Security Coordination unit – Marib – Weekly Report # two for June 2020
[6] World Food Program (WFP):(mVAM) # 52 March –April 2020
[7] Food Security Coordination unit –Dhamar – Monthly Update on Food Security May 2020
[8] Food Security Coordination unit –Taiz – Monthly Update on Food Security May 2020
