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Food security slightly improved during October 2023, compared to the previous month and compared to October 2022. Nonetheless, food insecurity remains widely prevalent across Yemen; approximately 51 percent of the surveyed households in IRG-controlled areas and 46 percent in areas under Sana'a-based authorities were unable to meet their minimum food needs during October. The proportion of households reporting inadequate food consumption exceeded the "very high" threshold of ≥40 percent In 17 out of the 22 governorates, with peaks recorded in Al Bayda, Al-Jawf, Lahj and Al Dali'. Furthermore, the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) indicated that Yemen reached the third highest GHI score in the world this year. Click Here
During January-October 2023, the aggregate volume of imported fuel via the northern ports of Al-Hodeidah and As-Salif increased by 21 percent compared to same period in 2022. It is worth noting that the mounting tensions in the MENA region, coupled with the recent seizure of a vessel near Yemen's Red Sea coasts, could result in increased costs of insurance and shipping into Yemen.
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The cumulative volume of food imports during January-October 2023 increased by four percent through Red Sea ports and by six percent via the southern ports of Aden and Mukalla, when contrasted with the corresponding period in the previous year. Essential food items were available across the Yemeni markets.
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Until end of October, WFP continued to assist 13 million people each distribution cycle as per the implementation plan, however with reduced rations equivalent to 41 percent of the standard food basket per cycle. The WFP's needs-based plan is only 11 percent funded for the period from December 2023 to May 2024. Starting December 2023, General Food Assistance (GFA) has been paused until further notice in areas under Sana'a-based authorities, mainly due to limited funding and the absence of an agreement with the authorities on a smaller programme that matches available resources to the neediest families. Click Here
The local currency exchange rate continued to worsen in IRG-controlled areas.
The Yemeni riyal lost 24 percent of its value against the US dollar compared to the previous year, reaching YER 1,518/USD by the end of October 2023. This is mainly linked to the low level of foreign currency reserves and the decline in crude oil exports and inflows from remittances. The disruption of crude oil exports since October 2022 has resulted in financial losses exceeding one billion dollars (based on FEWS NET’s estimates until July 2023). On the other hand, the exchange rate in areas under Sana’a-based authorities –which is controlled by authorities in the north- experienced a seven percent appreciation on annual basis, reaching YER 525/USD by end of October. Click Here
In IRG-controlled areas, pump prices for petrol and diesel slightly decreased by less than one percent compared to a month earlier, however they remain higher than the observed levels during October 2022; by 12 and 10 percent, respectively. This annual increase is largely due to the ongoing currency depreciation in the south. On the other hand, pump prices remained unchanged for petrol in areas under Sana’a-based authorities, while decreasing by three percent for diesel month-on-month. Both have exhibited an annual decline by 14 and 26 percent respectively in the north. Click Here
In October 2023, the global FAO Food Price Index slid down by merely 0.5 percent from the previous month, while remaining 11 percent lower than October 2022. All sub-indexes registered an annual decrease except for sugar, which increased by 47 percent on year-on-year basis. This is largely attributed to the tighter global supply outlook amid the adverse weather conditions associated with El Niño event. In Yemen, sugar prices also experienced an annual increase by four percent in the north, and by 44 percent in the south.
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The cost of the minimum food basket (MFB) decreased by merely one percent in IRG-controlled areas during October 2023. However, the observed price levels of MFB have been elevated over the course of the last twelve months. WFP mVAM data revealed that around 17 percent of the surveyed households in the south indicated high food prices as a main impediment to access adequate food. At the same time, the cost of MFB slightly decreased in areas under Sana’a-based authorities during October 2023 (by one percent), while remaining 17 percent lower than the same month in 2022. This is mainly driven by the annual drop in prices of vegetable oil and wheat flour in the north, which decreased by 26 and 20 percent, respectively. This annual decline was more evident in Hajjah,
Dhamar and Ibb (down by 24, 24 and 22 percent, respectively). Click Here