ReliefWeb

Highlights

Key drivers, beyond conflict and COVID-19

• Exchange Rate: The rial depreciated to reach YER 921/USD1 at end of May, and further to YER 943/USD1 at end of June

• Fuel imports: Decreased by 76 percent compared to the same period in 2020, and reached critically low levels during January-April 2021

• Fuel prices: Prices of petrol and diesel increased by more than 100 percent, across Yemen

• Food imports global food prices: Food imports during January-April reached 1.5 million mt, 66 percent higher than January-April 2020

• Global food prices: Rapid and concerning increase in global food prices which increased by 31 percent in April 2020, compared to April 2021, reaching the highest level since 2014

• Humanitarian assistance: Increased by 10 percent during Q1 2021, and further by 34 percent during Q2 2021 to nearly 289,338 mt

The cost of food (household purchasing capacity)

• MFB in areas under IRG: Increased by 19 percent during January-April 2021, to reach another all-time peak of YER 8,755 at the end of April 2021

• MFB in areas under Sana’a-based authorities: Started rising in March 2021, during which it increased by 10 percent (largest monthly increase in the north since October 2018), followed by 5 percent increase during April to reach YER 6,374

• Essential food items with highest annual inflation rate in April 2021 Areas under IRG: Wheat flour, vegetable oil and red beans increased the most, by 63 percent, 81 percent and 61 percent respectively Areas under Sana’a-based authorities: Wheat flour and vegetable oil increased by 21 percent and 51 percent respectively

Household access to food, March 2021

• Prevalence of inadequate access to food: Increased to 42 percent during March 2021, after having slightly decreased to 39 percent and 40 percent during January and February 2021, respectively

• More than half of the governorates (13 governorates), had “very high” prevalence of inadequate food consumption during March 2021 (≥40 percent); the highest was recorded in Lahj (63 percent), Amran (59 percent), Shabwah and Ad Dali’ (57 percent), followed by Al Jawf and Raymah (56 percent)

• Prevalence of poor access to food: Increased to around 20 percent or more in nine of the governorates. Prevalence was highest in Lahj (28 percent), Raymah (26 percent), Abyan (23 percent), Shabwah (22.5 percent), Al Jawf and Amran (21 percent)

• Dietary diversity: The majority of households rely on cereals, fats and sugars for their food consumption. Households with poor food consumption consume pulses, proteins, fruits, dairy and vegetables less than once a week, for which prices increased

• Food-based coping strategies: Nine out of every 10 households relied on food-based coping strategies during March. Nearly half of the households scored high rCSI value (>19) and have crossed the identified threshold for IPC 3+ phase classification

• Access to food for the assisted population: Relatively stabilized during March in areas under IRG at 39 percent, it however worsened in areas under Sana’a-based authorities from 37 percent in January 2021 to 43 percent in March