The combination of declining oil revenues and rising world food prices is set to have an adverse effect on the food security of a growing number of Yemen’s 21 million people, experts say.
According to a recent report by the London-based think-tank Chatham House, Yemen's oil sector provides 90 percent of export earnings and 75 percent of government revenue. "It will be difficult for the economy to maintain its modest 3-4 percent growth rate, which is barely keeping ahead of population growth, as oil exports fall," the report said.
Yemen depends on this revenue to import the bulk of its food.
"Since the 1960s, Yemen has changed into a food-importing country. Ninety-five percent of consumed cereals and 85 percent of food were imported last year. Such figures are not very reassuring in terms of our food security," Hassan Thabet, an economics professor, told IRIN, adding that the country was over-reliant on food imports and foreign aid.
He said Yemen could improve its position if it adopted a long-term plan and exploited its five main agricultural areas for efficient cereal production.
"Syria managed to become self-sufficient with regard to the production of wheat. Yemen can do the same if it has a long-term strategic plan," he said.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, local wheat production accounts for 5 percent of consumption. In 2007 Yemen imported 2,799,000 tonnes of wheat and produced 149,000 tonnes. Water shortages, land degradation and climate change are among the many challenges facing agriculture.
WFP operation
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on 29 January announced a new US$24 million emergency operation to assist over half a million poor people in eight of the 21 governorates.
"Yemen has had to face many challenges - not only droughts and an influx of [mainly Somali] refugees, but… high and volatile food prices, which create problems for the most poor," John Powell, UN assistant secretary-general and WFP deputy executive director, said.
"To cope, poor families typically adopt strategies that in the long term are very detrimental to themselves and their families. They have no option but to take children out of school to save on education expenses. They are eating fewer and smaller meals, and less nutritious food."
A WFP survey in mid-2008 on the impact of high food prices on poor households in Yemen found that poor families were forced to spend over 65 percent of their household budget on food.
A 2006 report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Yemen had very high levels of food insecurity and that more than one third of its population was chronically undernourished. According to the report, the number of hungry people increased from 4.2 million in 1990–92 to 7.1 million in 2001–03, and the proportion of undernourished people in the population from 34 to 37 percent.
The government of Yemen has said it is working with others to tackle the issue.
Nabil Shaiban, director-general of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation’s department of international cooperation with Europe and the Americas, told IRIN: " We are working with the donor community to mobilise any financial facilities that can help us address the food security issue. We are currently working with the European Commission on developing a national food security strategy.”
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According to a recent report by the London-based think-tank Chatham House, Yemen's oil sector provides 90 percent of export earnings and 75 percent of government revenue. "It will be difficult for the economy to maintain its modest 3-4 percent growth rate, which is barely keeping ahead of population growth, as oil exports fall," the report said.
Yemen depends on this revenue to import the bulk of its food.
"Since the 1960s, Yemen has changed into a food-importing country. Ninety-five percent of consumed cereals and 85 percent of food were imported last year. Such figures are not very reassuring in terms of our food security," Hassan Thabet, an economics professor, told IRIN, adding that the country was over-reliant on food imports and foreign aid.
He said Yemen could improve its position if it adopted a long-term plan and exploited its five main agricultural areas for efficient cereal production.
"Syria managed to become self-sufficient with regard to the production of wheat. Yemen can do the same if it has a long-term strategic plan," he said.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, local wheat production accounts for 5 percent of consumption. In 2007 Yemen imported 2,799,000 tonnes of wheat and produced 149,000 tonnes. Water shortages, land degradation and climate change are among the many challenges facing agriculture.
Photo: WFP  |
| WFP has announced a new US$24 million emergency operation to assist over half a million poor people in eight of Yemen's 21 governorates |
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on 29 January announced a new US$24 million emergency operation to assist over half a million poor people in eight of the 21 governorates.
"Yemen has had to face many challenges - not only droughts and an influx of [mainly Somali] refugees, but… high and volatile food prices, which create problems for the most poor," John Powell, UN assistant secretary-general and WFP deputy executive director, said.
"To cope, poor families typically adopt strategies that in the long term are very detrimental to themselves and their families. They have no option but to take children out of school to save on education expenses. They are eating fewer and smaller meals, and less nutritious food."
A WFP survey in mid-2008 on the impact of high food prices on poor households in Yemen found that poor families were forced to spend over 65 percent of their household budget on food.
A 2006 report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Yemen had very high levels of food insecurity and that more than one third of its population was chronically undernourished. According to the report, the number of hungry people increased from 4.2 million in 1990–92 to 7.1 million in 2001–03, and the proportion of undernourished people in the population from 34 to 37 percent.
The government of Yemen has said it is working with others to tackle the issue.
Nabil Shaiban, director-general of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation’s department of international cooperation with Europe and the Americas, told IRIN: " We are working with the donor community to mobilise any financial facilities that can help us address the food security issue. We are currently working with the European Commission on developing a national food security strategy.”
maj/ar/cb
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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