The internationally recognized Yemeni government confirmed that Yemen loses up to 5% of agricultural land annually due to climate change, grazing, conflict, and mismanagement of water resources.

This was stated by the Minister of Water and Environment; Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi, during his participation in the special session organized by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, on Wednesday, on “Harmonizing Yemeni national strategies, donor support and local action in efforts to combat desertification,” on the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) held in The Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Al-Sharjabi said that desertification is one of the largest environmental crises facing Yemen, which hinders sustainable development paths and threatens food security, as “the country loses between 3-5% of arable land annually due to climate change, grazing, and deforestation.” Mismanagement of water resources, and armed conflict

The Minister of Water and Environment stressed that defining national priorities, integrating with national development policies, and engaging stakeholders and local communities are the guarantees for addressing desertification, water management, and food security issues according to a comprehensive approach that includes mapping degraded lands and allocating resources and investments for afforestation, rehabilitation, and increasing vegetation cover.

Al-Sharjabi called on the donors; Including governments, institutions and international organizations, to work jointly with the recognized government to confront the threats that desertification will bring to the country’s future, by meeting urgent development needs in light of the current circumstances.