Embassy of the United States

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Ambassador Steven Seche (left) and Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation (right) Dr. Mansour Al-Hawshabi singing the grant agreement at the Agriculture Irrigation Center

U.S. Government Grants $648,800 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation to Help Improve Farmers' Yields

As a part of continued efforts to help the Yemeni Government reduce poverty and promote agricultural development in rural Yemen, the U.S. Government, through the Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a two-year grant agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation for more than $648,000 to support agricultural sector productivity in Yemen.

The grant agreement was signed by U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Stephen Seche, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Dr. Mansour Al-Hawshabi, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation Hisham Sharaf Abdullah (TBC) and Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Yemen, Dr. Mike E. Sarhan.

USAID has committed to work closely with the Ministry to provide technical assistance to Yemeni farmers to improve their agricultural yield, marketing, grading, packaging, and export activities. This assistance will help farmers and agricultural workers produce, market, and export their commodities. A portion of the grant will go to strengthening the administrative system of agricultural credit and loans available to Yemeni farmers. This program will also promote alliances with the Yemen Coffee Association and the fish farming sector in the Midi District of the Haja governorate.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Seche said, "Yemen's farmers face a number of challenges….My government, and the people of the United States, stand ready to support the Government of Yemen in its efforts to provide agricultural developmental assistance to those most in need."

USAID has been operating in Yemen since 1958, and is currently working in five governorates: Shabwa, Mareb, Al-Jawf, Amran, and Sa’ada. Since 2003, USAID has spent over $7.3 million to support the agricultural sector in Yemen.

For more information on USAID and U.S. Embassy activities in Yemen, please visit the Embassy website; http://yemen.usembassy.gov.