Confronting one of the world’s largest and most severe humanitarian issues, millions of citizens in Yemen are horridly struggling to secure basic food and nutrition. A joint report made by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as well as the World Food Programme (WFP), which was released in late 2025, states that the country is currently facing devastating issues such as economic instability, a combination of conflict, population displacement, and also climate shocks. These issues have led to a significant increase in food insecurity.
The Kharif agricultural season of 2025 ended with one of Yemen‘s lowest cereal harvests in recent years. Early-seasonal dryness, which was later followed by unexpected heavy flooding and rainfall, severely damaged water infrastructure and crops across key governorates, which include Lahij, Ta’iz, and Ma’rib. Having tragic effects on rural citizens, these disruptions have left farmers unable to sustain families and have pushed local citizens into deep hunger. The floods left fields and irrigation systems completely destroyed, making the issues caused by years of conflict even worse.
As of now, projections indicate that between September 2025 and February 2026, over half of Yemen’s population will experience high levels of intense food instability. FAO and WFP reports clearly indicate that 63% of households report being vulnerable to food access, while 35% face severe food deprivation. Certain regions, particularly districts like Amran, Al Hodeidah, and Hajjah, are at the height of despair, marked at the highest level of hunger under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Nationally, 18.1 million people face “Crisis” or worse conditions (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 5.5 million in the “Emergency” (IPC Phase 4) category.
Yemen’s malnutrition crisis has also, in the meantime, increased. In 2025, 24 districts are projected to experience extremely high levels of intense malnutrition, especially the Ta’iz and Al Jawf governorates. Among these areas, 72% of districts classified as “Emergency” face some of the highest levels of nutritional distress. Families are now being forced to spend over 70% of their income on food, leaving minimal resources for health, education, and housing. Dietary difference has sharply declined, with many households simply relying primarily on cereals, sugar, and fats while protein, dairy, fruits, and vegetables remain very hard to come by. Internally displaced people are especially vulnerable; nearly a quarter have been reported for going a full day and night without food.
The state of the economy has exacerbated the problem. Experts predict a 0.5 percent decline in Yemen’s GDP in 2025, as fuel shortages and inflation worsen the country’s population’s purchasing power. The economy remains strongly dependent on the funds that are sent home, which in 2024 accounted for more than 38 percent of GDP. Any drop-in money transfers risk further weakening the economy and triggering even greater poverty.
Humanitarian efforts are finding it difficult to keep up with the scope of the situation. The 2025 Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan demands USD 1.1 billion for food security and livelihoods, plus an extra USD 237.9 million for nutrition programs. Yet only 24 percent of this financing has been received, prompting WFP to restrict aid: in government-controlled areas, the number of recipients getting food assistance will drop from 3.4 million to 1.6 million, while operations remain suspended in territory controlled by Sana’a-based authorities.
Yemen’s crisis relief includes distributing agricultural tools, seeds, livestock, fishing kits, and cash to support livelihoods. These efforts provide temporary aid but cannot replace a lasting political solution. Sustainable recovery requires governance, infrastructure, and peace. Without urgent action, millions face hunger and poverty. Conflict, climate change, and economic instability threaten survival, making immediate humanitarian aid and global support essential.
