UN report: 62% of the population in Yemen suffered from food insecurity last October

A recent UN report revealed on Thursday that 62% of the population in Yemen suffered from food insecurity last October.

A report issued by the World Food Program , on the results of a field survey on food security in Yemen last October, stated that "nearly three out of every five households surveyed in Yemen (62 percent) are unable to meet their minimum food needs, with a slight deterioration of four percent compared to the previous month."

He explained that the monthly deterioration was largely driven by rising food prices in governorates under the control of the internationally recognized government, and the absence of food aid in areas controlled by the Houthis.

The report added that the prevalence of inadequate food consumption reached 65 percent in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government and 60 percent in areas controlled by the Houthis.

Regarding the severe level of food deprivation (poor food consumption), the report indicated that it remained at worrying levels in October (36 percent in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government compared to 35 percent in Houthi-controlled areas).

He continued: “All governorates in Yemen exceeded the “very high” threshold of ≥ 20 percent for poor food consumption, with peaks recorded in Ad Dali’, Lahj, Al Bayda, Shabwa, Abyan, Amran and Al Jawf.”

The report stated that about 24 percent of households in Houthi-controlled areas, and 19 percent in government-controlled areas, reported that they had at least one member who spent a full day and night without eating due to food shortages, and 54 percent of households in the north and 50 percent in the south adopted severe food-based coping behaviors ( rCSI >= 19 ) to meet food shortages.