Food Supply Case Study: Yemen (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography) : Revision Note

Food supply in Yemen

• Yemen is located in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula

• Yemen has a mainly hot desert climate with a temperate climate in the western mountains

• In summer months, temperatures reach 40 ^ºC and there is little rainfall

• Winter months are cooler between 25 and 35 ºC, but with little rainfall

Agriculture

• There is increasing agricultural activity in Yemen with crops including:

  • millet

  • corn

  • wheat

  • barley

  • sorghum

• Other crops include coffee, cotton and fruit which were grown for export

• Over 73% of the population relies on agriculture as their main source of income

Causes of food insecurity in Yemen

• Conflict

  • In 2015, after years of internal conflict, a civil war broke out

  • Continued conflicts have led over 4 million Yemenis to be displaced

  • Food aid supplies have been affected by blockades at the ports intended to stop weapons from entering the country

  • Internal infrastructure (roads, airports and communication) has also been affected by the conflict, which stops the movement of food around the country

• Drought

  • In recent years, drought has further affected supplies 

  • The main crop-growing areas have received only one-third to half of the usual precipitation

• Pests 

  • In 2019, swarms of locusts hit Yemen, destroying many of the crops

  • The conflict affected the control and monitoring program

  • The lack of pesticides meant that the Yemenis struggled to control the insects

• Corruption

  • Food aid is taken by those involved in the fighting and those in power

  • It often does not reach those who need it most

• Population increase

  • The population has increased to almost 30 million from 26.5 million in 2015 

  • This increases the demand for food

Problems caused by food insecurity in Yemen

• The Yemeni economy has declined

• These issues have mostly happened in the crop-growing areas in the south-west

• In 2016, it is estimated that farm produce losses totalled $964.5 million

• Yemen became dependent on imports for 90% of its grain supplies

  • Much of this was from Ukraine, the supply of which has been affected by the Russian invasion

• More than 80% of the population live below the poverty line

• Over 50% of the population working in agriculture have lost their jobs

• Food prices have increased between 30 and 70%, meaning people cannot afford a healthy diet

• The UN estimates more than 226,000 Yemenis have died due to food shortages and lack of health services

• Acute malnutrition now threatens over 50% of children under 5

• The total number of food insecure population is expected to reach 19 million by the end of 2022

Strategies to increase food supply in Yemen

• Since the start of the conflict, billions in aid have been sent to Yemen through organisations such as:

  • UNICEF 

  • Red Cross

  • World Food Program

  • Oxfam

• Getting aid to the people who need it is challenging for the reasons outlined in 'causes' above

• The World Food Program provides 13 million people with food assistance through:

  • Rations

  • Vouchers

  • Cash transfers

• Until the end of the conflict, the food shortages are likely to continue and may even get worse