FAO: Food security outlook remains extremely dire across Yemen

Yemen’s food security outlook remains extremely dire across all governorates, with severe conditions expected to persist through coming months, according to the latest analysis by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

These risks are amplified by regional instability, elevated global food prices, falling household incomes and localized access constraints that limit families’ ability to obtain basic food.

According to the latest FAO Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, more than 18 million people—around half of Yemen’s population—are faced severely food insecure (IPC Phase 3 or above) through February 2026, with a high risk that this figure will persist or rise under mounting pressures.

In the Internationally Recognized Government-controlled areas, recent central bank measures have temporarily strengthened the Yemeni riyal and eased food prices, but these improvements are fragile.

While in areas under the Houthi rebels, the outlook is more concerning, with communities affected by declining rainfall, frosts, localized conflict, lower import volumes, wage declines and rapidly eroding purchasing power.

Agricultural production prospects, according to the analysis, are average or below average, and a resumption humanitarian food assistance and broader sectorial support remains unlikely.