WFP Yemen Food Security Update, January 2026

Key Highlights;

• In 2025, Yemen recorded its highest levels of inadequate food consumption. July was the peak, with prevalence of population with inadequate food consumption reaching 70%, marking the worst month of the year. A seasonal improvement was observed in August, but conditions deteriorated again in the last quarter, reaching 64% in December 2025.
• Severe food deprivation continued to affect 37% of households nationwide by the end of 2025, with peaks recorded in Ma’rib, Ad Dali’, Al Bayda, Abyan, and Al Jawf governorates. WFP data revealed restricted access to adequate food across the 12 hotspot districts in Q4-2025, with year‑on‑year deterioration particularly evident in Abs, Az Zuhrah, and Kushar (SBA areas), as well as Al Makha, Ma’rib City, and Ad Dali’ (IRG areas).
• IDPs are among the most at-risk population groups in Yemen. In December, 38% of surveyed IDPs in Yemen experienced moderate to severe hunger – more than 1.5 times the level recorded among residents (21%). IDPs in camps are worse-off in terms of food consumption and coping capacity compared to those living in host communities.
• The exchange rate in IRG areas exhibited two contrasting patterns in 2025: it depreciated by 28% during January-July, before rebounding sharply by 78% in August. Since then, the Yemeni Riyal has remained stable at around 1,616 YER/US$, driving food and fuel prices below their levels in December 2024. Nonetheless, underlying vulnerabilities persist, particularly limited foreign currency reserves despite recent Saudi deposits. Notably, political instability in eastern Yemen led to road blockages and halted local fuel production from Hadramawt, contributing to a marked rise in petrol pump prices in December in Abyan, Lahj, Shabwah, and Ad Dali’ governorates (up by 11- 17% month-on-month).
• Damage to Red Sea ports infrastructure and reduced capacity continued to constrain imports via SBA-controlled ports. During 2025, Red Sea ports witnessed a drop by 5% in food imports and 31% in fuel imports compared to 2024. In IRG-controlled ports, food imports rose during the same period by 35% year-on-year, yet fuel supplies fell by 24%.
• Incoming contributions to WFP declined by more than 70% from 2024 to 2025. In IRG areas, WFP is preparing for the start of its new targeted emergency food assistance (TEFA) programme in February 2026, reducing the number of beneficiaries from 3.4 to 1.6 million due to severe funding shortages. In SBA areas, all WFP activities have remained paused since September 2025 due to operational space constraints.

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