VZCZCXRO4257
PP RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR
DE RUEHYN #1406/01 2161249
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041249Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2449
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001406 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/ARP FOR ANDREW MACDONALD, USAID FOR CHRIS KISCO, USTDA 
FOR CARL KRESS, USDA FOR RON CROUSHORN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: ROYG HUNGRY FOR NEW APPROACH TO FOOD 
SECURITY AND SAFETY 
 
REF: STATE 322 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: The ROYG is making the development of a National 
Food Security Strategy a priority in response to an 
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) study 
indicating that food insecurity has reached alarming levels 
in Yemen.  The Ministry of Planning and International 
Cooperation (MOPIC) has unveiled new food security work 
structures, which should more effectively coordinate 
financial and technical support for food security from the 
ROYG as well as donors.  In addition to food security, food 
safety appears to be rising on the ROYG's agenda, as the ROYG 
adopts international standards for monitoring products 
produced in Yemen and takes action to search for and destroy 
expired food.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ROYG UNVEILS PROPOSED FOOD SECURITY WORK STRUCTURES 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2. Preliminary results of an International Food Policy 
Research Institute (IFPRI) study indicate that food 
insecurity has reached alarming levels in Yemen with respect 
to the Global Hunger Index (GHI).  According to the study, 50 
percent of the population is considered "food insecure." 
Food insecurity is not directly related to poverty.  While 
poverty levels have reached 40.2 percent in rural areas, food 
insecurity has reached only 29.4 percent.  Conversely, in 
urban areas, while poverty levels are only at 20.7 percent, 
food insecurity reaches 42.2 percent.  With assistance from 
IFPRI and other donors, the ROYG is developing a Food 
Security Strategy, which should determine 1) where and who 
are the food insecure, 2) what are the main determinants of 
food insecurity, and 3) what are the challenges to and 
options for improving food security.  Khaled Mohammed Saeed, 
Director General of Agriculture and Fisheries and National 
Coordinator of the Food Security Program, told donors and 
EconOff on July 27 that the ROYG is making the development of 
a National Food Security Strategy a priority and expects to 
disseminate the final version of the National Food Security 
Strategy in May 2010. 
 
¶3.  The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation 
(MOPIC) is revamping the ROYG's approach to food insecurity. 
In a meeting with donors and EconOff on July 27, Nabil 
Shaiban, Director General of International Cooperation with 
Europe and the Americas, unveiled the ROYG's proposed food 
security work structures.  They will include a Food Security 
Inter-Agency Steering Committee, a Food Security Joint 
Government-Donor Policy Dialogue Group, and a Food Security 
Technical Secretariat.  The Steering Committee will focus on 
strategy, while the Dialogue Group and Technical Secretariat 
will cover operations and monitoring, respectively. 
According to Shaiban, these structures will more effectively 
coordinate financial and technical support for food security 
from the ROYG as well as donors such as the World Bank, UN 
World Food Program (WFP), and USAID's Office of Food for 
Peace, amongst others.  (Note: The proposed food security 
work structures will effectively take the place of the now 
defunct National Food Council, which has suspended operation 
since early 2008.  End Note.) 
 
ROYG TAKES ACTION TO GUARANTEE FOOD SAFETY 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  In addition to food security, food safety appears to be 
rising on the ROYG's agenda, as the ROYG adopts international 
standards for monitoring products in Yemen.  Ahmed A. Y. 
Al-Bashah, General Director of the Yemen Standardization, 
Metrology, and Quality Control Organization, told EconOff on 
August 1 that his organization is ramping up efforts to 
monitor imports, exports, and products for national 
consumption.  He also claimed that his organization is 
actively searching for and destroying foods on the economy 
that have expired, and is attempting to do so in a manner 
that is environmentally sound.  There are increased reports, 
which appear to confirm that the ROYG is taking action to 
seize expired or rotten products.  On June 14, the 
ROYG-sponsored Almotamar.net reported that the ROYG seized 
five tons of expired goods in Sana'a markets.  On July 1, the 
official Sabanews.net reported that the Yemen 
Standardization, Metrology & Quality Control Organization 
confiscated 1160 cartons of rotten chocolate. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  While new efforts towards establishing food security and 
safety are a start, the ROYG must expand its approach to 
 
SANAA 00001406  002 OF 002 
 
 
include major challenges such as growing water scarcity, 
rapid population growth, changing agricultural and ecological 
conditions, food trade imbalances, and the ever-increasing 
use of qat.  To be comprehensive, the ROYG's emerging 
National Food Security Strategy must also confront and 
address these challenges.  END COMMENT. 
SECHE