Sanaa: The September 21, 2014 Revolution restored the Yemeni people's dignity and standing, strengthened their sovereign independence, and liberated them from the shackles of foreign tutelage and hegemony that had weighed heavily on the Yemeni people for decades. Yemenis celebrated the 11th anniversary of the September 21 Revolution last Sunday, they overcame significant challenges in various fields, particularly in the agricultural sector, which has made rapid strides after emerging from Saudi, Emirati, and American tutelage and hegemony, achieving food security and self-sufficiency, particularly in grain production.
According to Yemen News Agency, in line with the directives of the Leader of the Revolution, Sayyid Abdulmalik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, the directives of the President of the Supreme Political Council, the Program of the Government of Change and Construction, and the directives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, Al-Jawf Governorate is witnessing a qualitative shift in the agricultural sector, particularly in wheat and grain cultivation, to achieve food security.
Continued efforts are underway to restore Al-Jawf Governorate's standing in the agricultural sector after decades of neglect and marginalization, this is thanks to the continued efforts of the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and the governorate to advance this vital sector in the governorate, which boasts vast areas of agricultural land that require reclaiming and cultivation to meet the local market and the population's needs for various grain crops, most notably local wheat.
For decades, Al-Jawf Governorate has been the victim of fruitless agricultural policies that focused on imports rather than encouraging local production. Today, it has become a model for agriculture across the Republic of Yemen, despite the conspiracies that continue to target the vital agricultural sector.
Several factors have contributed to the advancement of the agricultural sector in Al-Jawf, most notably the combined efforts of both the government and the community, supporting farmers by providing them with white loans for seeds, continuous follow-up, providing agricultural guidance, and utilizing the governorate's natural resources, which boast fertile soil, abundant water resources, and a climate conducive to agriculture.
These factors have led to an unprecedented shift in the agricultural sector in the governorate's crop production, particularly wheat, which has reached seven tons per hectare. Citrus crops, such as oranges, have also seen increased production and export, making the governorate a strategic food basket for Yemen.
The agricultural sector in Yemen has faced significant challenges both before and after the September 21 Revolution, this is due to reliance on imported grain crops, which have cost the state treasury billions of dollars annually, this is despite the availability of the country's agricultural resources and the need for bold decisions to achieve national food security.
Mahdi Al-Dhamin, head of the agricultural sector in Al-Jawf, reviewed the overall challenges facing the agricultural sector before the September 21 Revolution, most notably the policy of neglect and the failure of efforts to achieve an agricultural renaissance. He explained that farmers faced obstacles and difficulties from government and relevant agencies, under the direction of the US ambassador, aimed at frustrating them and encouraging them to rely entirely on foreign imports, which harmed the country's economy.
Al-Dhamin said, "These regimes deliberately preoccupied the people of Al-Jawf with conflicts and disputes, deprived them of education, and obstructed the delivery of diesel to farmers during the planting season, with the aim of frustrating them and pushing them to rely on foreign imports."
He stated that previous regimes embraced imports instead of local production and relied on ineffective policies such as "cash for assets," which had a devastating impact on the national economy. In Al-Jawf Governorate in particular, political differences and disagreements were exploited to create further divisions and transform state institutions into "completely failed" institutions. He expressed regret that previous governments had rejected the independence of their decisions, sovereignty, freedom, and dignity in favor of personal interests, serving the conspiracies of their enemies.
After the liberation of the governorate from the forces of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, traitors, agents, and mercenaries in 2020, the state and government began adopting policies that serve the national interest and restore the governorate's agricultural and economic standing, these policies culminated in the revitalization of the agricultural sector and the encouragement of farmers and investors to cultivate large areas.
The agricultural sector official, Al-Dhamin, stated that the cultivated areas in the governorate have doubled significantly, reaching 12,000 hectares by 2025, this is a positive indicator of the expansion of wheat cultivation as a priority in the governorate, alongside the cultivation of other crops, including fruits, vegetables, and legumes, to achieve food security.
He explained that this leap forward was achieved thanks to the restoration of security and the basic requirements to support farmers, such as the availability of seeds, plowing services at the lowest prices, white loans for the purchase of modern agricultural systems and solar energy systems, and abundant groundwater.
Al-Dhamin noted that these achievements would not have been possible without the efforts of the late Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr. Radwan Al-Rubai, and all the honorable individuals in the ministry, the governorate, and the agricultural sector.
He considered these achievements a significant victory for the agricultural sector, despite the conspiracies that the enemy seeks and continues to seek to thwart, including targeting leaders, including the late Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr. Radwan Al-Rubai.
Mahdi Al-Dhamin, head of the agriculture sector, emphasized that the governorate's achievements and successes over the past period are the fruits of the glorious September 21 Revolution, which represented a turning point that saved the country from American tutelage and neutralized the hostile policies imposed by previous regimes aimed at economic control.
In light of the revolutionary and political leadership's and the government's interest in the agricultural sector, Yemen now possesses multiple agricultural assets capable of achieving food security and self-sufficiency. Al-Jawf Governorate has become a model to be emulated across the country in the agricultural sector and one of the most important governorates suitable for growing various types of wheat.