Yemen on brink of food crisis, say aid groups

Instability in Yemen has left the country facing a hunger catastrophe, with nearly half of people without enough food, aid groups have warned.
In a joint warning, a group of seven charities said 10 million Yemenis - 44% of the population - are undernourished, with 5 million requiring emergency aid.
Yemen has been shaken by pro-democracy protests, communal unrest in the north, and an Islamist conflict in the south.
The warning comes a day before an international conference on Yemen.
The so-called Friends of Yemen was gathering in the Saudi capital Riyadh yesterday is widely expected to concentrate on shoring up security and the fragile political transition the in the country.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia yesterday said it will give its impoverished neighbour Yemen aid worth $3.25 billion, urging other nations to take similar steps.
In their warning, the aid agencies - CARE, International Medical Corps, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Mercy Corps, Oxfam and Save the Children - say this focus is preventing action to alleviate poverty and hunger.
Local markets across much of Yemen have food available, but many Yemenis cannot afford to buy enough food to feed their families, the aid groups warned.
Jerry Farrell, Save the Children's country director for Yemen, said: "We know that children always suffer the most when food is in short supply, and unless urgent humanitarian action is taken, Yemen will be plunged into a hunger crisis of catastrophic proportions."