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Yemen: Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Snapshot (February - December 2020) (Issued July 2020)

Countries
Yemen
Sources
IPC
Publication date
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Overview

Out of 7.9 million people in southern Yemen, 3.2 million are estimated to be highly food insecure (IPC Phase 3 and above) between July and December 2020. High food insecurity in the 133 analysed districts is driven by economic decline and active fighting, which restrict humanitarian and market access, and cause constant population displacements.

According to the IPC analysis findings, 16 districts are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), while 103 of the 133 districts are classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). In terms of severity, the 16 worst affected districts in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) are located in eight governorates: Al Dhalee (3), Marib (3), Al Bayda (2), Shabwah (2), Abyan (2), Taizz (2), Al Jawf (1) and Hadramaut (1). In terms of magnitude, the governorates with the highest numbers of people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse are in Taiz, with 590,000 people highly food insecure, Lahj (487,500), and Hadhramaut, (465,500). The number of highly food insecure people during the July - December 2020 period represents a 60 percent increase compared to two million people between February and April 2020 in the same locations, likely reversing the gains achieved through humanitarian food assistance over the past year.

The worsening situation is driven by the rapidly worsening economic situation and continued conflict, further exacerbated by COVID-19 restriction measures, and natural hazards. The combination of factors has significantly eroded the ability of households to cope with new and intensifying shocks. The erosion of households’ purchasing power affects access to food and agricultural inputs, especially with an increased strain on remittances due to COVID-19 restrictions abroad. A high percentage of households are highly reliant on humanitarian food assistance to meet their daily food needs.