Hodeida: 'Bajil Harvest Festival,' a local agricultural development event, was Tuesday evening at Shabab Bajil Club Stadium in Hodeida governorate. The festival was organized by the district's local council, the Mobilization Office, and the Bajil Agricultural Cooperative Association.
According to Yemen News Agency, the event was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources, along with the governorate's local authority, the Agricultural Cooperative Union, Bonyan Development Foundation, the Tihama Development Authority, and the Agricultural and Fishery Projects Financing Unit. The festival aims to position Bajil as a model district with an integrated agricultural and productive environment. It also seeks to highlight the district as a promising destination for investment and marketing, leveraging its natural resources and productive social structure.
The event further aims to promote locally produced agricultural and industrial goods-particularly dairy, poultry, and fruit products-while expanding export prospects, enhancing added economic value, and supporting national food security and self-sufficiency efforts.
The festival drew a wide official and public turnout, including governorate officials Ali Kabbari and Amer Muthanna, Agriculture Ministry official for Marketing and Agricultural Trade Mohsen Atif, the visiting development team from the Capital Secretariat and Sana'a Governorate, as well as district officials, local leaders, and community figures.
During the opening ceremony, Murad Al-Shaif, Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Services and Support, described the 'Bajil Harvest Festival' as a practical model for community-driven initiatives that serve as platforms for awareness and development. He emphasized the ministry's commitment to strengthening partnerships between state institutions, cooperatives, and development bodies to expand agricultural lands in Hodeida, enhance production methods, and improve the quality of local products.
Al-Shaif noted that the agricultural sector has become a cornerstone of economic resilience and stressed that such festivals encourage youth to participate in productive projects and transform agriculture into a sustainable source of income for rural families.
Hamoud Al-Naqeeb, head of the Social Affairs Committee of the Capital Secretariat's local council, praised the organization of the festival, calling it an integrated developmental event that links production, display, and marketing while raising public awareness of the importance of agriculture in supporting the national economy. He expressed hope that the festival becomes an annual event that showcases the district's growing production capacity and strengthens ties between farmers, markets, and consumers.
Director of Bajil District Abdulmunim Al-Rifai said Bajil represents a model of social solidarity and developmental integration, noting that the district has shown resilience and productivity through the efforts and perseverance of its people. He added that the festival underscores the district's commitment to advancing economic and agricultural development and provides an opportunity to promote local products and enhance their competitiveness in domestic markets, with potential for future export.
Al-Rifai highlighted recent initiatives by the local council to form model productive groups across sub-districts and support local industries tied to agricultural products-such as dairy, poultry, and mango processing-alongside small-business support programs through interest-free loans. He also pointed to the establishment of specialized community service units in agricultural extension, livestock and plant development, marketing, and service centers, all within a comprehensive vision to position Bajil as a leading production hub.
For his part, Adel Sam, head of the Bajil Agricultural Cooperative Association, said the district's diverse environmental and climatic conditions give it an advantage in producing a variety of crops year-round. He described Bajil as a complete agricultural ecosystem-from farmers working the land to the cooperative organizing production and the markets distributing the goods.
Sam noted the cooperative's achievements in technical support, training, agricultural guidance, and assisting farmers throughout production stages, as well as improving marketing channels to reduce losses and increase farmers' income. He added that the 'Bajil Harvest Festival' serves as a venue to showcase local products, support national industries tied to agriculture, and highlight the district's agricultural identity and the long efforts of its farmers.
The festival featured musical and poetic performances, traditional dances, competitions, and prize distributions, reflecting the cultural and artistic heritage of the district and adding a festive atmosphere connecting both cultural and developmental themes.
The event included an exhibition of Bajil's agricultural products-fruits, crops, and high-value produce that support local food security-along with pavilions introducing the district's economic, commercial, and service activities, as well as ongoing agricultural initiatives and projects.