A recent report by the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization has said that household food consumption in Yemen continued to deteriorate for the second consecutive month, with 62 percent struggling to meet their minimum food needs in May 2026, including 36 percent facing severe food deprivation. According to the latest WFP-FAO Hunger Hotspots report, rates of severe food deprivation increased for the second consecutive month, rising from 31 percent in April to 36 percent in May 2026, reflecting a gradually worsening trajectory. Approximately 10 percent of households in Houthi-controlled (SBA) areas and eight percent in government (IRG) areas reported having at least one member going entire day and night without eating due to lack of food. In Houthi areas, June data showed up to 13 percent increase in the prices of key food items in Sanaa City since February 2026, mainly reflecting global food price trends and higher shipping costs. This comes at a time when 70 percent of the population in SBA areas report reduced monthly income, highlighting a severe erosion of purchasing power. The report said that in SBA areas, the economy continues to face severe challenges, including depleting foreign currency reserves, liquidity constraints, sanctions, the relocation of banks from Sanaa to Aden, and a slowdown in economic activity. The degradation of Red Sea ports has further compounded revenue shortages, resulting in an estimated $ 1.4 billion in losses. Meanwhile, the Houthis have intensified taxation and seized assets, further undermining livelihoods. Against a backdrop of economic hardship and reduced Red Sea port capacity, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has amplified Yemen’s fuel supply challenges. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for IRG-controlled areas projects further deterioration of food security situation toward the end of 2026, with an estimated 5.4 million people expected to face severe levels of acute food insecurity. Key drivers include the combined effects of the lean season, floods, and a curtailed humanitarian response. The deterioration in food consumption gaps in Yemen has accelerated after humanitarian assistance was curtailed during 2024-2026, compared to 2021-2023 when large-scale food assistance was provided. SBA areas exhibited a relatively sharper deterioration of inadequate food consumption following the loss of humanitarian operational space. The deterioration rate was 36 percent in SBA areas versus 27 percent in IRG areas, with severe food deprivation nearly doubling in SBA areas during the same periods. The report added that while the market exchange rate in IRG areas has remained stable since August 2025, the customs dollar rate was notable increased from YER 750 to $1,550 in May 2026, raising concerns over the potential impact on imported commodity prices and household living costs. Between January and May 2026, fuel imports via Houthi controlled ports dropped by 73 percent compared to the same period in 2025, and by 60 percent via government-controlled ports. Consequently, SBA areas are reporting increasing instances of low-quality fuel at fuel stations, adversely affecting vehicles, water pumps, power plants, and livelihoods. Due to severe funding shortages, WFP started the implementation of its new TEFA program in IRG-controlled areas in mid-February 2026, reducing the caseload from 3.4 million in December 2025 to a prioritized 1.7 million people. As of mid-June 2026, WFP had completed two TEFA cycles, with the third cycle underway. The post-distribution monitoring data in April–May 2026 demonstrate a significant improvement in the prevalence of severe food deprivation among TEFA beneficiaries (from 46 percent in February to an average of 25 percent in April-May 2026). Inadequate food consumption showed a similar trend, improving by 23 percentage points during the same period (from 75 to 52 percent). Dietary diversity and quality have also improved, alongside better access to nutritious foods. The proportion of TEFA beneficiaries reporting low dietary diversity (consuming four or fewer food groups in the past week) decreased from 72 percent to 56 percent. The consumption of protein-reach food items has improved by 18 percentage points, primarily driven by the inclusion of pulses in the TEFA ration. The report added that to consolidate these gains and maximize impact, TEFA should be complemented by large-scale recovery interventions, including nutrition, livelihood, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and multi-purpose cash programs.
