Nearly 17 million people or over 53% of the population in Yemen, will likely experience high levels of Acute Food Insecurity, classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse between October and December 2022. Of primary concern, is the 6.1 million people classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) and the 4.3 million people who are internally displaced as a result of conflict. While this analysis update shows that IPC Phase 5, Catastrophe has been prevented, close monitoring remains essential. Overall, 184 of the 331 analysed districts are classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), and 140 districts in IPC Phase 3 (crises). Only seven districts are classified in IPC Phase 2 (Stress).  

The high levels of food insecurity are driven by the impact of Yemen’s conflict on its people, in particular the loss of life, disruption of livelihoods and internal displacement; and the above normal rainfall and moderate-to-severe drought conditions which were coupled by an unprecedented rise in temperatures, affecting all cropped regions of Yemen. Yemen’s economy also remains frail and unstable and the war in Ukraine has triggered spikes in international prices of wheat and other basic food and fuel commodities, contributing to local food inflation.  

This analysis update indicates similarly high levels of food insecurity compared to the first half of the year (January-May 2022); however, the update shows an improvement in the food security outlook compared with the projection June-December 2022 from the previous IPC analysis conducted in February 2022.  

The IPC analysis indicates a decrease of 2 million people in IPC Phase3 or above (7 percent of the population), and 1.2 million people (4%) in IPC Phase 4 or above. As anticipated, the update also indicates the absence of people in IPC Phase 5 (catastrophe) in the last quarter of 2022. The 161,000 people previously classified in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) in the June-December projection period are estimated to have now shifted to the lower phases. The number of districts classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) has also decreased from 233 districts (projection Jun-Dec 2022 from the February analysis) to 184.  

Despite the improvement, Yemen remains one of the most food insecure countries in the world. For nearly a decade – even before the war – more than half of the population has consistently been food insecure, mainly driven by structural instability aggravated by human-induced factors and climate change. This analysis, therefore, emphasises that the improvement is a temporary reprieve and further efforts need to be put in place to sustain and completely reverse this trend. 

• End conflict: It is vital that all parties to the conflict in Yemen commit to engaging in long-lasting peace. Investments in recovery and development are the only gateway to eradicating hunger in Yemen as relief alone cannot reverse the food insecurity situation. 

• Provide life-saving humanitarian assistance: To stop and reverse inexorable deterioration, donors to provide urgently needed resources to enable sourcing and delivery of critical lifesaving food assistance to populations facing large food consumption gaps. 

• Provide livelihood support and diversification: To increase resilience and reduce vulnerability to shocks, close collaboration between humanitarian and development actors is essential, focusing on the rehabilitation of community assets and support to livelihoods. 

• Improve inter-sectoral programming: Advocate for and support an integrated multisectoral approach for programming focused on the four key sectors: food security, nutrition, health, and WASH. It is vital to Continue scale up of treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition and harmonize nutrition services, and sustained care through seamless referral mechanisms across the different treatment programmes for children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).