Sana'a: A meeting held on Sunday in Sana'a discussed areas of cooperation and joint coordination between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water Resources, and the Supreme Authority for Innovation, Sciences, and Technology. The meeting addressed mechanisms to promote innovation, localize agricultural and fisheries technologies, reduce production costs, and improve productivity.
According to Yemen News Agency, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources Ammar Al-Karim emphasized the importance of institutional integration and teamwork, highlighting that the agricultural and fisheries sectors are crucial for achieving self-sufficiency and strengthening national resilience. He noted the need for applied innovation in agricultural mechanization, post-harvest handling, storage, packa, marketing, and value chains. Al-Karim also stressed the development of practical solutions to reduce costs and enhance the quality of local products, citing successful models in cheese manufacturing, seed cleaning, breed improvement, and milk fat separation technologies. He called for the dissemination of technologies by training central workshops in the governorates and enabling producers and innovators to market their solutions directly to farmers and fishermen.
Chairman of the Supreme Authority for Innovation, Sciences, and Technology Muneer Al-Qadhi reviewed the Authority's key projects, including the local manufacturing of a mechanical ventilator, development of the national vision for industrial localization, and analysis of the import bill for domestic substitution opportunities. He also highlighted the 'Research Map' project, which connects productive sectors' needs with scientific research topics. Al-Qadhi mentioned the development of an interactive platform to coordinate partnerships among universities, the private sector, and government entities, along with innovation incubator projects, research marketing initiatives, and local manufacturing of agricultural inputs like solar dryers and ovens. Other initiatives include dam studies and water solutions, and the preparation of a manual for agricultural policies, technologies, and pesticides in coordination with the Ministry.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Al-Karim and Al-Qadhi, along with the Ministry's deputies, Chairman of the General Authority for Agricultural Research and Extension Dr. Abdullah Al-Alfi, and Executive Director of the General Corporation for Cereal Production and Development Eng. Salah Al-Mashreqi, reviewed several agricultural innovations and applied technologies, such as solar ovens and dryers. These solutions aim to reduce production costs, improve food processing efficiency, and enhance reliance on local resources.