Yemen has a population of 25 million that is growing rapidly due to a high fertility rate of 4.4 children per woman. However, Yemen's food supply cannot keep up with this growth because agricultural methods are primitive, water is scarce, and much of the available land is used to grow the narcotic leaf qat rather than food. As a result, 26% of Yemen's population is undernourished. The country also relies heavily on food imports and revenues from oil exports, but oil exports have declined due to attacks on pipelines. The government is implementing a National Food Security Strategy to increase food security and decrease dependence on qat and oil by 2020, but Yemen faces significant challenges in improving agriculture and reducing poverty.

1. YEMEN
AND ITS FOOD
EXAM CASE STUDY
AS GEOGRAPHY – POPULATION

2. SYLLABUS
This case study follows
precisely the Cambridge AS
2019 syllabus requests for
one of the “Population” case
studies.
Candidates must study one
country’s population policy
regarding natural increase,
showing the difficulties faced
and evaluate the attempted
solutions.
This case study must include
attempts to alter the natural
increase rate (China’s one
child policy) and to manage
the results of population
change (the increase in
Yemen’s population and the
lack of food).

3. 26% OF YEMEN’S POPULATION UNDERNOURISHED
Yemen in Southern Arabia is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Progress in economic and social development over recent years has
been slow, as a result of political instability and weak governance.
The security situation is fragile and unpredictable, with conflict in the
north, secessionists in the south and an increasing presence of militant
groups, including Al-Qaeda.
In 2015, 26% of the population was undernourished.

5. YEMEN STATS
The population of Yemen is 25 million and the fertility rate of 4.4
children per woman is amongst the highest in the world.
Food supply cannot match this.
There is limited supply of cultivation land.
Water is scarce because of low rainfall and limited piped water.
Over 60% of Yemen’s population depend on agriculture, and more than
90% of water is used for irrigation.
Farming methods are primitive and there is little use of modern
technology.

6. DEPENDENT ON QAT AND FOOD IMPORTS
Available land is not used for growing food but for the narcotic leaf qat,
which has a high price on local markets.
40-50% of water for agriculture is used to irrigate qat.

7. REVENUES FROM OIL
Most export revenue comes from oil.
In 2015 more than 90% of foreign exchange earnings were from
exports of oil and gas.
Oil exports have been reduced by attacks on the pipelines that carry
crude oil to the ports.
Because of that there are less foreign exchange earnings and limited
funds available for the imports of food.
Low agricultural productivity contributes significantly to poverty, as
nearly 2/3 of the country’s people depend on agriculture for their
livelihoods.
5 million people in Yemen depend on food aid.

9. REVENUES FROM OIL
To support the restoration of stability, the government’s National Food
Security Strategy (NFSS) aims to make 90% of the population food-
secure by 2020.
To meet these goals, the NFSS action plan includes measures to
decrease qat production and consumption, reduce Yemen’s
vulnerability to global food price shocks and promote the sustainable
use the water.
Efforts to fight poverty in rural areas, increase farm incomes and create
more jobs are centred on measures to increase access to inputs – such
as improved seed varieties of grains and oilseeds – and to upgrade
agricultural marketing.