Work for $30 million to launch at Marib Dam [Archives:2002/16/Business & Economy]

BY MAHYOOB AL-KAMALI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
Private bids are being accepted to continue the next phase of the Marib Dam Project, a $30 million phase expected to be launched this month.
Abu Dhabi Development Fund is continuing to finance the project which will see 66 km of new water channels geared to irrigate up to 5,000 acres of agricultural land.
Its part of increasingly strong ties between Yemen and the UAE.
Thanks to the UAEs involvement in the first phase of the project, vegetable and fruit production are both up 75 per cent, and the region has restored its reputation for growing a variety of cereals.
Regaining use of the Marib Dam has encouraged farmers to reclaim the agricultural lands which were threatened by drought.
About 20, 000 hectares have been reclaimed by farmers, allowing them to expand farm land depending as more underground water is available.
As a result, grain production has doubled from 1986 to 1999.
In addition 120,000 hectares of new arable land has been made available.
The new Marib Dam was established close to the historical one which dates back to the pre-Islamic period.
The dam is surrounded by historical sites including Belqees throne, a site which has garnered the attention of historians and tourists.
The new dam has helped poor farmers find new security.
The water capacity of the Marib Dam is estimated at 4 million cubic meters.
In addition to this, two small distributive dams were built to irrigate more than 7,000 hectares of field, and more than 10,000 hectares of crops.
The storage capacity of the first dam totals 200,000 cubic meters and the second one totals 1,800,000 cubic meter.
The longest water channel of the dam totals 50 km, and the secondary water channels total 86 km.
The historic dam of Marib is located about 8 km to the Southwest of Marib Governorate.
According to an inscription found in the area, the dam was built in the 8th century BC, and has since been renovated so many times.
Water projects to be established
The General Corp. for Irrigation at the Ministry of Agriculture has shown interest to tackle some problems of Yemens water crisis through implementing the second phase.
More than 300 water projects are to be implemented at the cost of YR 9 billion.
Forty-five water catchments have been implemented at a cost of YR one billion and a half. One hundred water catchments are also under construction at a cost of YR 5 billion and a half.
Sixty-three water reservoirs have been implemented by the agriculture ministry, at a cost of YR 711 million, and nine irrigation channels at the cost of YR 86 million.
The agriculture ministry intends to update new irrigation machines to instruct farmers to use water properly including the distribution of plastic hoses and pipes.
Drinking water projects are going to be implemented in the northern regions at the cost of YR 900 million.
The government has done its best to get rid of the expected water crisis among citizens.

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