A severe hunger crisis is unfolding in Yemen, where more than half of the population—around 18 million people—is projected to face worsening food insecurity by early 2026. According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), nearly every surveyed household identified food as their most urgent need, with 80 percent reporting severe hunger. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that one million more people risk slipping into life-threatening hunger, and famine pockets affecting over 40,000 people could emerge within two months.

Years of conflict, economic collapse, and climate shocks have crippled Yemen’s ability to produce or import food. The country relies on imports for up to 90 percent of staple grains, while fighting has displaced rural families and disrupted supply chains. Erratic rainfall and rising temperatures have further reduced agricultural productivity, leaving many families surviving on one meal a day.

Humanitarian funding has dropped to less than 25 percent of required levels, the lowest in a decade, with nutrition programs receiving only 10 percent of needed support. The IRC urges donors to urgently restore and expand food and nutrition funding, prioritize treatment for malnourished children and mothers, and strengthen systems to track and respond to emerging hunger hotspots.