Dhamar: The Executive Unit for the Management of Financing for Agricultural Projects and Initiatives in Dhamar Governorate continues to present a successful practical model of community partnership aimed at advancing the agricultural sector and strengthening food security.
According to Yemen News Agency, the Unit works to adopt and support agricultural and water initiatives with a direct impact on farmers' livelihoods, contributing to the achievement of self-sufficiency, particularly amid the ongoing repercussions of aggression and blockade. Over the past period, the Executive Unit has adopted and supported 66 community initiatives in the fields of construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of dams, barriers, and water reservoirs across various districts, at an estimated total cost of 1,705,129,000 rials. The local community's contribution amounted to 1,465,689,000 rials, representing 86 percent of the total cost.
The Unit contributed to supporting these initiatives by providing cement, diesel, oils, lubricants, machinery, and equipment at a cost of 249,974,000 rials, 14 percent of the total cost, reflecting a high level of community engagement and social responsibility. The Director of the Executive Unit for the Management of Financing for Agricultural Projects and Initiatives in the governorate, and Agriculture Sector Official, Dr. Adel Omar, explained that the support covered a series of agricultural initiatives focused on completing, rehabilitating, and maintaining water barriers, reservoirs, dams, and water channels.
He noted that these initiatives included the implementation of 57 initiatives related to reservoirs, barriers, and dams; six water channels; and support for three initiatives in organic agriculture, including the production of organic fertilizers, soil conditioners, and edible mushrooms. Dr. Omar pointed out that the implemented projects contributed to the completion of water barriers, including the Dandawan barrier in Bani Hattam area of Wasab Al-Safil District; the Al-Arim barriers in Al-Dhahla area - Jabal Al-Dar, Anss District; Al-Safi in Rasab area; Al-Hijarah in Atmah District; Sha'b Al-Qadi in Bayt Al-Samhi, Dhoran District; the Martyr Al-Samad barrier in 'Aseq village - Jabal Al-Souq, Dhoran District; and the 'Abar Muta'' barrier in Jabal Al-Sharq. In addition, 48 dams and barriers were rehabilitated and maintained in Maghrib Anss District.
He stated that support focused primarily on irrigating cereal and legume crops, with a condition that projects refrain from irrigating qat farms, to ensure that resources are directed toward strategic crops that serve the national economy, in addition to using water for livestock drinking. The Director confirmed that the Unit prepared 198 integrated technical and engineering studies for the rehabilitation and maintenance of rainwater harvesting facilities, ensuring the sustainability and operational efficiency of these projects. He noted that the total number of beneficiaries from the water facility rehabilitation projects reached 8,200 farmers, covering an estimated agricultural area of 345 hectares cultivated with cereal crops such as wheat, barley, and sorghum, as well as legume crops including beans, cowpeas, fava beans, and lentils.
He also spoke about supported projects in other vital sectors, including institutional capacity building, livestock, beekeeping, coffee, agricultural marketing, and agricultural education. He confirmed that the Unit implemented a series of qualification and training courses for coordinators of agricultural units in districts and cooperative societies; beekeepers; coordinators for diesel, seeds, biological control, irrigation, and livestock; agricultural extension coordinators; as well as training workers involved in the sale and handling of pesticides, and security personnel at checkpoints on the safe use of pesticides.
Dr. Omar addressed the Unit's efforts in financing the establishment of 60 farmer field schools in the fields of cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits-three field schools in each district-along with providing interest-free in-kind loans of cereals and legumes to a number of agricultural cooperative societies, as part of efforts to expand the cultivation of wheat, maize, and legumes. He also highlighted the Unit's role in establishing new nurseries in Al-Hada', Al-Manar, Atmah, and Wasab Al-A'la districts; supporting the main nursery in Rasabah area and the coffee nursery in Jabal Al-Sharq with solar energy systems; and implementing a project to enhance the performance of the Rasabah dairy farm. This project included completing feed warehouses, rehabilitating milk and yogurt processing facilities, purchasing a refrigerated vehicle, and repairing and rehabilitating production facility roofs and energy sections.
The Director reaffirmed that the Unit will remain a committed partner with the community in any project aimed at advancing the agricultural sector in the governorate, noting that these activities fall within ongoing efforts to strengthen food security and develop agricultural infrastructure, in fulfillment of the efforts of the martyr Dr. Radwan Al-Rubai'i, and with the support and supervision of the governorate leadership. He stated that the Unit has achieved a qualitative leap in implementing development projects, based on an effective partnership strategy with the local community, emphasizing that work is carried out under full coordination and supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and the governorate leadership to ensure project sustainability and that support reaches those who deserve it.
Dr. Adel Omar considered the achieved accomplishments to be the result of integration between state and community efforts, expressing hope that the partnership will continue to achieve comprehensive agricultural advancement that serves farmers and the national economy and contributes to strengthening food security in Dhamar Governorate and Yemen in general.