A new report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that an additional one million people in Yemen will suffer from acute food insecurity by February 2026, raising the total number of those in urgent need of food assistance to over 18 million.

Published in the May 2025 edition of the "Yemen Market and Trade Bulletin," the report highlights a worsening crisis across both northern and southern regions, driven by rising food and fuel prices, currency collapse, declining remittances and oil exports, and deteriorating purchasing power.

The FAO noted that the exchange rate in government-controlled areas has reached 2,533 Yemeni rials per U.S. dollar, fueling repeated spikes in basic commodity prices. Meanwhile, Houthi-controlled areas are grappling with poor agricultural forecasts and stagnant wages, further eroding household resilience.

The report also warns that expected floods, ongoing conflict, and suspended food aid could deepen the crisis, particularly in northern Yemen. The FAO urged international donors to provide emergency funding, expand cash assistance programs, and ease trade restrictions that hinder the flow of goods.