Calls for increased support to Yemen’s agriculture sector as FAO marks World Food Day in Yemen

28 October 2021, Sana’a–  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) last week joined the Ministry of Agriculture in Yemen to celebrate World Food day at a colourful event held at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Lahj Governorate under the auspices of H.E. Salem Abdullah AlSoqotri, the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries. The event, commemorated this year under the theme "Our actions are our future - better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life", was graced by the Governor of Lahj, Mr Ahmed Abdullah Al-Turki and Mr Abdulmalek Naji Obaid, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Production Development Sector, among other government officials from the governorate.

Exhibition pavilions featured success stories of improved agriculture value chains from interventions implemented by FAO under a programme titled "Supporting Resilient Livelihoods and Food Security in Yemen (ERRY II)", funded by the European Union (EU) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Under the project, FAO supported dairy producers, mainly women, with modern dairy processing equipment, provided in tandem with training in food standards and hygiene and in how to make a wider variety of dairy products such as baladi cheese – a popular white cheese commonly used in Yemen dishes but previously imported. The World Food Day celebrations gave these women a chance to tell the success stories of their thriving dairy businesses, as well as to promote the various dairy products that they are now producing.

Strong calls for increased support to the agriculture sector

During the event, both the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO called for increased support to Yemen's agriculture sector in light of the challenges faced by farmers and agricultural producers due to the protracted crisis. In his remarks, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr Abdulmalek Naji Obaid, thanked FAO for its support to agricultural livelihoods, "We appreciate the generous and continuous support of FAO in improving livelihoods and enhancing the resilience of farmers during this difficult time", he said. Mr Obaid added that the Government has bigger aspirations to develop the agricultural sector and, as such, requires more financial support to achieve these aspirations and increase food availability. 

Speaking on the same occasion of World Food Day, FAO Representative in Yemen, Dr Hussein Gadain, highlighted the crux of FAO’s work and its commitment to continue protecting and restoring agriculture livelihoods in Yemen.“Holding on to its belief that protecting and restoring agriculture livelihoods is the greatest defence against hunger, FAO has been on the ground, improving food production, boosting income diversity and improving the ability of the most vulnerable Yemeni households to put food on the table”, he said. “I would like to take this occasion to reaffirm FAO’s commitment to building resilient livelihoods and helping Yemeni families to produce and access a steady supply of nutritious food”, he continued.

For his part, FAO's Chief Technical Advisor, Dr Walid Saleh, cited how FAO was sustainably improving  agricultural value chains to increase access to nutritious food, a critical element to lead a better life in line with the World Food Day theme. "By developing agriculture value chains, FAO is ensuring that Yemeni families have the tools they need to regain access to food and lead better lives," he said.

Yemen commemorates World Food Day just a month after entering its seventh year of a conflict that has severed scores of families from productive livelihoods and left thousands more on the brink. FAO is working to protect, rebuild and restore agricultural productivity and create livelihood opportunities. In 2021, FAO is seeking 90 million dollars to reduce acute food insecurity and safeguard the livelihoods of 6.3 million vulnerable Yemenis.

About World Food Day

World Food Day is one of the most celebrated days of the United Nations' calendar, with hundreds of events and outreach activities taking place worldwide to promote awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and the need to ensure healthy diets for all.