Poverty isn’t natural [Archives:2005/860/Letters to the Editor]

Mohamed. F . Ibrahim
[email protected]
The opinion of Al-Hashimi,”poverty should be development's top priority” in Yemen Times issue (855),volume 13 is an idea that has to be bought wholesale by every one if for once the political heavy weights, the media group, and the entire public are real patriotic to their soil.

A great number of Yemenis are living in absolute poverty. I think that the problem is the unequal distribution in the economy. Too few Yemenis have too much money, while too many starve and suffer to survive. Many don't believe that poverty isn't natural but the reality is that poverty is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.

It's clear that to achieve sustainable development in the agricultural industry Yemenis should focus on promoting agricultural and rural development.

Food production is a vital source of economic growth, eradicating poverty, reducing vulnerability and generating sustainable living in our society. It is a fact that the nation does not produce its own food but its own Qat, and is not independent since it always relies on other countries to feed its population by importing better part of the food products.The burning question here is why is this food not produced in Yemen when Qat is produced in high quantity? Until when will Yemen have to depend on its neighbours and foreign countries? What would happen if these countries that are supporting us now decide to terminate their assistance? Who would be blamed? What is this eventually going to entail? I think the Yemen people should be empowered to produce their own food to fight against poverty, hunger and unemployment. Let us make an effort to enhance the country's capacity by lifting up the agricultural industry. The times is now for the all Yemenis to seriously address issues of poverty reduction, lack of skills, lack of employment and other issues.

I was really taken aback when a hawker selling apples related to me that the American apple is more expensive than the Yemeni apple when I could not differentiate which apple is the American apple or the Yemeni apple.This simply meant to me that Yemenis have no trust in their own products and such ignorance needs to be eliminated.
——
[archive-e:860-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-07-18-p:letters]