Yemen Monitor / Marib / Special:
Yemen recorded a seasonal improvement in food consumption levels during last February, driven by increased Ramadan-related aid and remittances from expatriates. However, international monitoring reports warn of an imminent setback that could erase these gains due to escalating regional tensions in global trade corridors and a 24% rise in fuel prices in areas under the internationally recognized government.
The joint Food Security Monitoring Report (April 2026) revealed that the proportion of inadequate food consumption nationwide declined to 57% in February, compared to 63% in January of the previous year.
The report, obtained by Yemen Monitor, was issued by ACAPS, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank.
The report attributed this improvement to Ramadan-related support, increased remittance inflows, an improvement in the currency value in government-controlled areas, and partial payment of public sector salaries.
However, it warned that severe food deprivation remains high at 30% nationwide, with all governorates exceeding critical thresholds.
The report indicated that reliance on severe coping strategies has continued or worsened, with the rate of households resorting to extreme food-related coping strategies rising to 43% in Houthi-controlled areas and 39% in government-controlled areas. Additionally, between 62% and 69% of households resorted to “crisis” or “emergency” coping strategies, underscoring that the gains were temporary and insufficient to address structural economic constraints.
The governorates of Abyan, Al-Dhalea, Al-Jawf, Raymah, and Saada were highlighted as the most affected by severe food deprivation.
Although fuel prices in Houthi-controlled areas remained stable until the end of March, they are still 22% higher than global benchmarks. Meanwhile, Aden Oil Company announced in April 2026 a 24% increase in gasoline and diesel prices, attributing this to military escalation in the region, disruptions in supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz, and rising maritime insurance costs.
Concerns are growing that this increase will be reflected in the prices of essential goods, especially as Yemen remains almost entirely dependent on imports. The report recorded 544 risk alerts in March, the majority related to food and fuel import indicators, reflecting a widening gap between local and global prices.
In addition to economic pressures, Yemen faces climate-related threats, particularly seasonal summer floods. Floods at the end of March resulted in 17 deaths and affected more than 68,000 people, especially in the governorates of Abyan, Aden, Al-Hudaidah, Lahj, Marib, and Taiz.
The report also noted continued displacement waves and local conflicts in Taiz and Al-Jawf as factors hindering access to livelihoods. It recorded five high-level conflict alerts in these areas, including tribal clashes, ongoing frontline fighting, and attacks targeting civilians and livelihoods. Additionally, 91 families were displaced in March, mostly in Marib and Al-Hudaidah, due to escalating hostilities.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) expects acute food insecurity to persist through September 2026. Parts of Houthi-controlled areas are likely to remain in “Emergency” (IPC Phase 4), while most of the country will remain in “Crisis” (IPC Phase 3), driven by limited job opportunities and continued high prices.
This report comes at a sensitive time marked by unprecedented military tensions in the Red Sea and the Gulf linked to the broader regional conflict. Yemen’s high vulnerability to any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz or Bab al-Mandab stems from its import-dependent economic structure, where any increase in insurance or shipping costs is quickly reflected in the price of the “minimum food basket,” which reached about 128,550 Yemeni riyals in government-controlled areas in March.
