Ahmed Abu Ghanim - Program Assistant

Agriculture has been the foundation of Yemen's economic development since the early stages of its civilization. This is not surprising, as natural resources such as surface area, fertile soil, abundant water sources, and a suitable climate have contributed to its prosperity. Human resources have also played a positive and important role in covering the workforce performing agricultural tasks and building various and advanced irrigation facilities. The Yemenis built dams on the valleys, established channels, dug wells in dry inland areas, built agricultural terraces on highlands, and utilized rainwater. They also excelled in building reservoirs. All of this was supported by a strong authority that maintained irrigation systems and enacted laws governing the distribution of agricultural land and water.

Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors in Yemen, employing 53% of the workforce, and 50% of the population relies on agricultural production. However, agriculture in Yemen has declined since the 1970s. While Yemen achieved self-sufficiency in agricultural products, that declined to 15%, and the contribution of agricultural output to the gross domestic product decreased to 13%.

In light of the war in Yemen, some farmers are forced to stop cultivating their land due to a shortage of agricultural materials, fertilizers, and fuel, resulting in a shortage of crops and an increase in their prices, which affects the citizens' ability to buy food. In addition, the monopoly of some traders over goods and food leads to price hikes, affecting the citizens' ability to purchase food.

The Yemeni government is keen to support the agricultural sector in the country, considering it one of the most important pillars in its government program, as it is a major source of income and employment and contributes to providing food and food security for citizens. The government has taken many steps to develop this sector, including providing financial and tax facilities for farmers, providing them with material and technical support, encouraging investments in this field, and seeking to develop training and vocational qualification programs for youth in this field in cooperation with civil society organizations.

Civil society organizations work in cooperation with the government to support agriculture in Yemen by providing financial and technical support to farmers, providing seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery, training farmers on the latest agricultural techniques and management, and encouraging farmers to use modern technology and good practices in their farming.

There are many local and international organizations that contribute to supporting agriculture in Yemen, such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, among others.

Individuals can contribute to supporting agriculture and small farmers by purchasing local products, supporting them financially, volunteering in the fields to help harvest crops, raising awareness of the importance of agriculture and self-sufficiency, pressuring the government to support agriculture and farmers, and communicating with local and international organizations that contribute to supporting agriculture in Yemen.