Yemen – Escalating food prices exacerbate Yemen poverty

Location: Aden, Yemen

Duration: 00:03:45

Source: A24 Aden

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 25/7/2022

Storyline:

Residents of the Yemen seaport city of Aden say a sharp rise in the price of fish is hurting their ability to feed their families.

Seafood is a main source of protein in coastal areas, and soaring costs add to pre-existing food insecurity where the World Bank reports millions are experiencing hunger that verges on famine.

One kilo of the locally caught tuna costs US12$. Prices of other foodstuffs have also increased, exacerbating poverty worsened by the war.

Citizens in Aden tell A24 that they are frustrated by their government’s inability to curb the rise in prices.

Last year the UN estimated that over 24 million Yemenis were “at risk” of hunger and disease, and roughly 14 were in acute need of assistance.

Shot list:

– Soundbite (Ali Ayesh – Citizen):

“One kilo of  tuna costs between 12, 000 and 13,000. Small fish is worth a thousand riyals. Vegetables and rice are also expensive. We do not have foodstuffs inside our homes. People go to work in the early morning only to earn 2,000 riyals at the end of the day. This is an insane increase. Only those who have money can eat fish and others who cannot afford it are deprived of it. We have no source of income. What can we do? The government is unable to curb this price hike.”

– Soundbite (Salem Ali – Citizen):

“Some food items, such as rice, oil, flour, tea, in addition to soap, all rose sharply, exceeding average salaries. I am an engineer earning 100,000 thousand, however, it does not cover the needs of one week.. All social classes in Yemen are suffering from high prices; upper class, middle class, and lower class.”