The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned of the fallout from the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in global food shortages for many families in Yemen and food prices skyrocketing.

“Following the war in Ukraine, food prices in Yemen, especially cereals, have become very high for vulnerable families who can no longer afford them,” FAO said in a statement broadcast by the United Nations News Centre. Pointing out that “nine of Yemen’s 22 governorates were rated (highly prepared) based on food consumption and adaptation outcomes, supported by microeconomic indicators.”

According to the FAO, “the truce has brought positive results through improved access, fuel availability and mobility, but the cost of living continues to rise due to rising food prices, mainly due to global events.” She pointed out that “one percent of the population faces very severe hunger, which corresponds to the fifth (catastrophic) phase of the Integrated Food Security Classification.”

The FAO Cereal Price Index reached a record high in May last year and fell slightly (4.1 percent) in June due to lower global wheat prices.

In addition to the effects of the war in Ukraine, the impact of climate change continues to affect livelihoods in Yemen. In the first half of this year, most farmers lost their first planting season, with a third of households reporting a reduction in acreage.

With the start of the rainy season in Yemen, the Food and Agriculture Organization of Yemen has expanded the scope of its monitoring activities to counter the re-emergence of the Desert Locust in breeding areas in Yemen, where field research teams are currently present to conduct daily surveys.