Aden (South24 Center)

Three UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have warned of a severe deterioration in food security across South Yemen’s government-controlled areas, driven by the economic collapse and dwindling humanitarian funding.

According to the latest update of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), released on Sunday, June 22, approximately 4.95 million people are facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (IPC Phase 3 and above) between May and August 2025, including 1.5 million in emergency conditions (Phase 4). This marks an increase of 370,000 people suffering from severe food insecurity compared to the period between November 2024 to February 2025.

It said that projections suggest the situation could worsen in the coming months, with an additional 420,000 people expected to fall into the most severe categories between September 2025 and February 2026, if urgent and sustained assistance is not provided This would bring the total number of severely food-insecure individuals in the southern governorate areas to 5.38 million, over half the population in the government-held territories.

The statement attributes the crisis to overlapping factors, including the sharp decline of the local economy, the depreciation of the currency in Southern governorates, the protracted conflict, and recurring climate shocks. The agricultural sector faces additional strain due to the delayed planting season from April’s poor rainfall, heightened likelihood of flood risk in July, and the outbreak of crop and livestock diseases, especially the desert locusts. These conditions are pushing food systems to the brink and eroding the livelihoods of farmers and producers.

Amid these alarming trends, the three agencies announced plans to refocus their humanitarian efforts in Yemen on the hardest-hit areas through integrated interventions spanning food security, nutrition, water and sanitation, healthcare and protection, to maximize the life-saving impact.

Quotes from UN Officials:

• Siemon Hollema - WFP Deputy Country Director for Yemen, stressed saying “The fact that more and more people in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from is extremely concerning at a time when we are experiencing unprecedented funding challenges.” He emphasized, “immediate support is needed to ensure that we can continue to serve the most vulnerable families that have nowhere else to turn.”

• Dr. Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Yemen, emphasized, "The situation is dire and requires urgent intervention, with agriculture holding the key to ending Yemen’s food insecurity crisis. Further, delayed and insufficient rainfall in April has cast a shadow over the current planting season, threatening the already fragile farming livelihoods and food availability. With urgent support, we can revitalize local food production, safeguard livelihoods, and move from crisis to resilience building ensuring, efficiency and effectiveness."

• Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Yemen, highlighted that “Approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women suffer from acute malnutrition in Yemen, placing them at greater risk of illness, developmental delays, and death.” He added “The IPC nutrition data suggests further deterioration in at least five out of 17 of the livelihood zones in IRG areas, so UNICEF and partners are making provisions to scale up intervention which needs to be sustained if we are going to overcome the crisis”.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs), low-income rural families, and children remain the most affected groups, with their coping mechanisms eroded by dwindling aid, job losses, and the prolonged economic contraction.

The three agencies called for urgent and expanded international support to prevent further deterioration, ensure access to basic services, and foster economic and livelihood recovery.