The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries, Major General Salem Al-Socotra, directed the importance of implementing the ministry’s plan aimed at ensuring food security, in a way that achieves self-sufficiency in agricultural production, in our country, which faces serious challenges, implemented in solidarity partnership with the relevant authorities in the relevant ministries. And local authorities, and agricultural offices, in the liberated governorate directorates.

Minister Al-Socotra stressed, in an expanded meeting, today, in the capital, Aden, the Director General of the Mawza Directorate, Abdul Karim Ahmed Haider, and the Director General of the Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Nasr Awad Khan, officials of local authorities, ministry offices, farmers, exporters, and the Chamber of Commerce. In the liberated governorates, Al-Hudaydah and Taiz, it is important for those concerned to carry out the tasks assigned to their work, to implement the decisions issued by the Ministry, which aim to find a qualitative balance between exports of local agricultural production, and the necessary proportions available in the local market, to cover the needs of the citizen at appropriate prices.

Major General Al-Socotra stressed that the Ministry is keen to work on increasing the value of the local product, through new procedures that are being prepared to be implemented, in adopting the phytosanitary certificate, which confirms that the product is free of phytochemical pests, and to work to combat smuggling from ports and other outlets for agricultural products. To reduce prices, and control pesticides and fertilizers that do not meet specifications, due to their danger in the process of spraying on agricultural lands.

Minister Al-Soqatri also confirmed that the Ministry will stand with farmers in alleviating the burdens they face, in a way that achieves the common interests of all, and will work to invest in the available capabilities of the wave of challenges that are plaguing the agricultural sector as a result of the repercussions of war and climate change.

The meeting discussed a number of issues that the agricultural sector suffers from, and the projects that the Ministry can undertake aimed at developing the infrastructure in providing agricultural equipment, providing solar energy means, activating financing and lending funds and institutions for farmers, reclaiming lands, and building irrigation canals in the valleys. And work to combat desertification, encourage exports, create central cold stores, emphasize the support and qualification of agricultural associations, and activate the role of agricultural extension.

The First Undersecretary of Hodeidah Governorate, Walid Al-Qadimi, stressed the importance of establishing a sorting center for standards and quality for agricultural products, praising the Ministry’s efforts to approve the quality certificate for exporting products, stressing the importance of building a sea break in the fish landing area.

The Undersecretaries and the Minister’s advisors also reviewed, each in their respective duties, the number of issues aimed at developing aspects of coordination with the various concerned parties, and examining the shortcomings through the proposals presented, to implement the Ministry’s plan aimed at ensuring food security in the country.