Possible alternatives for shifting agriculture from qat to food crops [Archives:2005/845/Business & Economy]

A study made on fertile arable land in Yemen affirmed that there are alternatives to plantation of the non- nutritious qat tree by supporting the agriculture of revenue yielding and of economic feasibility crops along with expansion in building irrigational water installations and barriers.

The study indicated that qat agriculture was no longer the best source of income as there are alternatives such as growing apples, peaches, oranges, grapes, cereals and bananas that provide farmers profit value correspondent to revenues of qat that grant them better opportunities to change their economic and health conditions to the best.

The study has mentioned that Yemen needs to support farmers by plucking out qat trees that occupy a spacious area of arable lands and consume quantities of water that can be used for other crops that are economically more useful and healthier for the Yemeni citizens. The study also points out that the growing of qat has a negative effect on most significant crops, especially coffee, which Yemen has been reputed for long years. The Food and Agriculture Organisation indicates that the area of land used for qat agriculture in Yemen is equal to one quarter of irrigated lands. According to that study, owners of fertile land in Yemen, if mone and support was possible for them, they would abandon qat growing and work to change it to fruit and vegetable plantations. The study also confirms that the farmers who planted fruits and vegetables instead of qat have had good revenues, acquiring around one million and 500 thousand riyals last year. The farmers confirm that the fruits they have planted were of high quality, providing their consumers with healthy nutritious benefits. They have grown the fruits and vegetables with good without spraying any harmful chemicals to accelerate their growhth and making them bigger in size. Some farmers have resorted to take them instead of qat tol entertain themselves during hours of such sessions. The study has made it clear that the qat possesses certain chemical compositions formed from organic compounds. Those substances influence the nerve system as they cause secretion of some chemical materials working on arousing nerve cells that would result in a decrease in a feeling of exhaustion and fatigue. It also increases the ability to concentrate in the first few hours of chewing qat, but is then followed with a feeling of depression and anxiety.

Financially, the study points out that Yemeni agriculture of fruits and vegetables are of high quality with reasonable prices for the citizens in the Gulf region. Their export is also transported very quickly, therefore they are able to remain fresh and preserve all their necessary nutritious elements. This is unlike some imported fruits that come from remote areas and countries to the Gulf States, losing their nutritious value during the transfer from the countries of origin to the consumer. The study recommends the government to offer support to farmers in order to stop planting qat trees as it is the cause of shunning them from growing what is more useful and better for the citizens.
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