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Yemen

FAO celebrates 40 years in Yemen

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates 40 years in Yemen during a workshop to look back at the main highlights of its 2018 programme, including the Emergency Livelihoods Response Plan (ELRP), and to discuss the pillars and activities for 2019.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation commemorated the occasion, with attendance by high-level delegation. This included European Union’s Head of Delegation and Deputy Head of Delegation, as well as the Ambassador of France, the Deputy Head of Mission in the Netherlands and the Representative from the Embassy of Germany. The delegation toured the exhibition of dairy products produced by trained FAO female beneficiaries.

During the workshop, attended by more than 80 participants from various agencies as well as farmers, results of projects implemented in 2018 were shared and live testimonies read out by beneficiaries. “I used to wait for my husband to give me money for household needs, but now I am able to share with him my life experiences,” explained Huda, a project beneficiary. “Now, I can process dairy and market my milk. I am thinking of further developing this business.”

“Working together at all levels is important in ensuring a timely response to support those most vulnerable,” declared Salah Hajj Hasan, FAO Representative in Yemen. He stressed that such a workshop provides a platform for information sharing and to discuss future action plans. “The coordination and commitment of FAO, ministries and resource partners in strengthening programmes to achieve effective and sustainable agricultural development in Yemen is critical in mitigating challenging livelihood and food security conditions,” he added.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation also expressed the importance of joint efforts to ensure sustainable development that contributes to alleviating the suffering of civilians in various sectors in Yemen. He also praised the in-country collaboration of FAO and the European Union. The Minister called on for further international support for development and longer-term food security programmes.