Houthi Attacks Disrupt Red Sea Shipping, Impacting Global Coffee Trade and Yemen's Water Resources
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have made the shipping route unsafe for vessels heading to the Suez Canal, forcing many ships traveling between Asia and Europe to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope. This detour adds an expensive 11,000km to journeys, impacting global trade, particularly the coffee industry. Historically, Yemen's port of Mocha was central to the global coffee trade, giving its name to the beverage. However, its dominance waned due to competition and the shift in Yemeni agriculture from coffee to qat, a mildly narcotic leaf. Qat cultivation now consumes over 40% of Yemen’s renewable water resources, leading to severe water scarcity, with the capital Sana’a facing the prospect of running out of water. This ecological crisis is linked to the rise of the Houthis, whose grievances are rooted in a landscape of dying wells and failing farms. 
