Conflict continues to exacerbate food insecurity; at least six million people in need of emergency assistance

• Conflict that has intensified since late March has continued in June, exacerbating existing high levels of acute food insecurity. Fighting in multiple governorates, including heavy ground conflict in Aden, Ta’izz, and on the northeastern borders of Ad Dali, is hindering normal trade and limiting the availability of fuel and food in affected markets. 

• Available information indicates that fuel and food imports remain below normal, due to a partial import blockade by the Saudi-led coalition and inability to move food and fuel from ports to markets. In governorates where fuel is available, queues are common at official stations. Prices varied greatly across markets, but average prices through the second week of June were YER 774/liter for petrol and YER 867/liter for diesel, as compared to YER 150/liter in February for both fuels. Prices for wheat flour, the main staple, have increased across the country during the conflict, by up to 114 percent above February levels in the case of Ad Dali.

• At least six million people are in need of emergency food assistance in Yemen. Although WFP and other agencies are responding, resumption of normal imports and internal trade flows are critical to prevent further deterioration of food security outcomes. WFP and its implementing partners have reached over 1.8 million people with emergency food assistance since mid-April.

• Although information on food security outcomes remains limited, reduced household purchasing power as a result of declining income opportunities and increasing prices for staple foods risks a serious deterioration in food consumption. Several governorates are facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes, and the number of food insecure people is likely to increase in the coming months if current trends in food availability, prices, and income sources continue.

Estimated food security outcomes, June and July 2015