New and refurbished fishery sector facilities boost coastal livelihoods in Yemen

14 December 2020, Sana’a, Yemen –The Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO), and authorities in the coastal district of Al Mokha in Taiz governorate, finished construction on a new fishery landing site equipped by FAO with support from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre (KSrelief) under the project “Emergency agricultural livelihoods support to the most vulnerable households in Yemen.”

This intervention will improve the livelihoods of more than 60 000 Yemenis for whom the fishery sector is their main source of income. The two landing sites, located in the coastal districts of Dhubab and Al Mokha, will help alleviate the suffering of fisher folk who have endured a shrinking profit margin due to conflict, lack of infrastructure and the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously fishers in the area had to travel long distances to reach remote landing sites to fish and sell their catch. These structures enable them to launch and return from safe landing sites that are closer to their homes.

Further, fishers need a suitable, stable, well-lit area from which to process and sell their fish products – protecting them from spoilage or contamination through solar powered-cold storage. The improved cold chain aims at boosting the level of production and income of fishers, while contributing to reduced high rates of malnutrition, especially among children, and pregnant or lactating women in targeted coastal areas.

“While this project will help support fisherfolk, the sector’s needs considerable and sustained investment to revitalise the fisheries value chain,” said Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative to Yemen. “FAO calls for increased support to restore remaining fisheries infrastructure to boost the sector’s productivity, and thanks KSrelief for their consistent and generous funding to the sector.”

“The crisis in Yemen is now in its sixth year, while thousands of vulnerable households live in miserable conditions without livelihoods, unable to provide for themselves. Fishing infrastructure in rural coastal areas, where 500 000 people rely on it for securing food and income through the fishery sector, is being devastated due to ongoing conflict,” said Andre Arriaza, Head of Operations for FAO Yemen.

“Immediate action is needed more than ever to keep Yemen’s fishing communities from sliding into catastrophic conditions aggravated by conflict and the COVID‑19 pandemic,” added Arriaza.

The fisheries sector, including fisheries and fish markets, plays a critical role in Yemen’s food security. The sector provides food, livelihoods and sustained income, especially for the most vulnerable fishers, as well as providing essential nutrients. In Yemen, fisheries is the third most important agricultural subsector, contributing up to 3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product before the conflict.

The project “Emergency agricultural livelihoods support to the most vulnerable households in Yemen” is carried out by FAO in six governorates throughout the country, including Abyan, Lahj, Al Dhale’e, Taiz, Hajja and Amran. The project aims to enhance food security and livelihoods for 70 000 households in Yemen according to the livelihood needs of the population living in the rural areas through three types of interventions including poultry production and cash support, improving animal and agricultural production and improving livelihoods conditions of vulnerable groups living in coastal areas through rehabilitation of productive fishery infrastructure.

FAO and KSrelief work with partners in relevant line ministries and organizations to reduce acute food insecurity and diversify income among vulnerable rural households in districts at risk of famine in Yemen.