WFP: Famine Threatens Half Yemen’s Population in Near future

The World Food Program (WFP), an organization affiliated with the United Nations (UN) has warned that funds needed to support food aids to more than half of Yemen’s population, run out.

The WFP issued a statement saying that shortage in resources enforced it to slash food rations offered to some 8 million people in the country.

The statement revealed that 5 million Yemenis also may be exposed to famine as they did not get sufficient food rations.

The UN organization pointed out slashing food rations comes at the worst time for the Yemeni households who depend basically on food aids offered by the program.

The statement mentioned that throughout the last three months the rate of shortage in food consumption rose significantly.

The Yemenis also are hit by collapsing of the national currency and excessive inflation rates which push the economy to deteriorate.

The WFP warns that prices of foodstuffs rose by 200% in most parts of the country.

Continuing clashes across lines of confrontations between the legitimate government and the Houthi rebels compel families to flee their homes.

On the other hand, Corinne Fleischer, Regional Directress of the WFP in the Middle East and North Africa, said that every time the program reduces the food rations, more people join millions who are starvation-stricken.

She added that hard times need desperate measurements so the WFP must increase its resources and prioritize the neediest people in Yemen.

Corinne Fleischer unveiled that food aids offered to the Yemenis will be slashed severely by next  January.

The Yemeni families will get less than half the daily ration granted by the WFP.

The WFP’s statement indicated that half of the Yemeni children under five are exposed to malnourishment.

The UN program needs $ 813 million to continue aiding the most vulnerable groups in Yemen until next May.