Countering water shortages in four governoratesReplacement of qat by coffee, exportation of grapes to Europe [Archives:2005/847/Business & Economy]

In order to come out with solutions to the crisis of water some of the governorates are facing in winter season of every year, technical arrangements are under way at the state Authority of agricultural Development and Rural Advancement of the northern regions to begin implementation of 70 new water projects during 2005 in the governorates of Sana”a, Amran, Hajjah and Saada. The total cost of the projects is estimated at YR 1.6 billion.

Official sources said the Authority had completed procedures for the implementation of 24 projects and it was in the process of finishing implementation procedures of the remainder projects. They added that the authority was preparing a study for the development and expansion of the plantation of grapes and the work for increasing and improving quality of grapes as well as coordination with relevant sides for its exportation abroad, particularly in cooperation with the French embassy in Yemen.

The sources have also indicated the Authority has implemented a number of projects in the past few years at a cost amounted to YR7 billion. They clarified that the authority has also managed in the period from 1997-2005 to finish construction about 80 water installation ranging between dams, lakes and water barriers and storages in various regions of the four northern governorates. They added that one million mango trees had been planted in the area of A”bs, Hajjah governorate, the area of which is estimated at 8000 hectares.

The sources have added that 200 thousand trees of qat were plucked out and replaced by Yemeni coffee trees in the area of Haraz.
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