How have the rising costs of food affected the people of Yemen?
Prior to the high food prices, an estimated 46 percent of the population was living below the poverty line and nearly 13 percent was living in extreme poverty on less than $1 per day. In early 2008, the World Bank reported that at least an additional 6 percent of Yemen’s population had been pushed below the poverty line as a direct result of rising food prices. Nutrition is also a high concern in Yemen. Few countries – including those in sub-Saharan Africa – have worse nutrition indicators than Yemen. Based on the most recent nationwide family health survey, conducted in 2003, a large percent of children under 5 are underweight for their age. A similar study, conducted in 2006, found that 27 percent of pregnant women and 35 percent of nursing women are undernourished. Micronutrient deficiency is especially common, and there is a high prevalence of anemia. As a result of rising food prices, child nutrition is estimated to have worsened, with limited access to food, especially among hous
