Deputy Minister of Planning Discusses with FAO Strengthening Coordination to Tackle Food Security and Malnutrition Challenges

[21/06/2026 01:58]
Aden – Saba News

The Deputy Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Dr Nizar Basheeb, met today in the temporary capital, Aden, with the National Coordinator of the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Abigail Nyokori, and a number of the organisation’s experts, ways to strengthen the efforts of the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster to tackle the mounting challenges in the areas of food security and malnutrition.

The meeting reviewed food security indicators, the extent of shortfalls in meeting humanitarian needs, and the progress made in addressing existing challenges, as well as efforts to strengthen the humanitarian response and mitigate the impact of the food crisis on the most vulnerable groups.

Dr Basheeb emphasised that the nutrition sector is currently going through a critical phase, which necessitates giving the crises of food insecurity and malnutrition the highest priority within the interventions of UN organisations and international partners. He stressed the importance of strengthening coordination among relevant stakeholders and channelling resources towards the most impactful and sustainable interventions in food security and nutrition projects.

He emphasised the need to redouble efforts to make optimal use of the funding allocated to food and nutrition projects, thereby helping to narrow the existing gap in food aid and humanitarian programmes. He noted that swift and coordinated action by the Food Security and Nutrition Clusters and key partners would help to limit the worsening of the crisis and improve food security levels for the target groups.

For her part, the National Coordinator of the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) explained that, during the first half of this year, the organisation provided humanitarian aid and interventions that benefited around 1.8 million people, compared with last year, when the number of beneficiaries stood at around 3.4 million. She noted that the decline in humanitarian funding represents one of the most significant challenges facing humanitarian response efforts in Yemen.

Abigail emphasised the organisation’s commitment to continuing to work with the government and humanitarian partners to strengthen food and agricultural interventions and expand the scope of the response, thereby contributing to food security and improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable households.

The two sides agreed to hold a joint meeting at the end of this week, bringing together the relevant government bodies, the Food Security and Nutrition Working Groups, and the organisations concerned, to draw up a roadmap for joint action and to accelerate the measures and interventions needed to address food shortages, strengthen food security and reduce malnutrition rates. 

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)