Presidential Leadership Council Member and Governor of Hadramaut, Mr. Salem Ahmed Al-Khanbashi, received today a delegation from the Dutch Embassy in Yemen and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), headed by the Deputy Dutch Ambassador.
Mr. Bart Veenstra, and including representatives from the FAO in Yemen, along with a delegation of specialists and local companies. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Governor of Hadramawt, Mr. Hassan Salem Al-Jilani, representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Water, and specialists from the Governorate's Executive Office.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Presidential Leadership Council member welcomed the delegation, emphasizing the deep-rooted relations between the Republic of Yemen and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He praised the projects implemented and underway with support from the Dutch government through the FAO in the areas of development, food security, and water. He affirmed that Hadramawt represents a model of security and stability and an attractive environment for implementing development projects. He expressed his appreciation for the continued Dutch support in the agriculture, irrigation, and water sectors, particularly given the difficult circumstances the country is facing. Governor Al-Khanbashi, a member of the leadership council, highlighted a number of priority issues and urgent needs, foremost among them strengthening water security, developing the agricultural sector, increasing groundwater reserves in several districts including Ghayl Bawazir, Hajar, and Du'an, and expanding development projects. He emphasized the importance of private sector participation, youth empowerment, supporting education and scientific research programs, strengthening partnerships with Hadhramaut and Seiyun Universities and other universities, and expanding sustainable agricultural and water projects.
Governor Al-Khanbashi also addressed the urgent need for sanitation projects, particularly in Mukalla, commending previously implemented projects and stressing the need for their expansion. He further mentioned fish farming projects and called for maximizing Hadhramaut's benefit from Dutch expertise through scholarships, grants, and the signing of memoranda of understanding and partnerships that would facilitate the transfer of leading Dutch experiences in various fields. For his part, the Deputy Dutch Ambassador expressed his pleasure at his second visit to Hadramawt Governorate, emphasizing that the partnership with Hadramawt is based on many shared interests, particularly in the water sector. This opens up broad prospects for implementing projects of mutual interest and exchanging expertise. He reviewed a number of projects implemented and underway in the governorate, praising the focus on the role of youth and their inclusion in development programs.
In turn, the FAO representative reviewed the projects implemented by the organization in Hadramawt, most notably the Integrated Watershed Management project, which aims to enhance governance, resilience, and sustainable agriculture. This project is supported by the Dutch government and several international and local partners. He explained that the project is divided into irrigation and water facilities, modern irrigation systems including greenhouses, rainfed irrigation, drip irrigation, and home gardens, with a completion rate of approximately 70%.
He noted that the support provided to farmers includes drip irrigation networks, seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural tools. He explained that the distribution of home gardens covered the districts of Wadi Hajar, Brom Mayfa, Hajar, and Yabaath. Rain-fed irrigation projects (floppy sprinklers) were also implemented for cultivating wheat, barley, sesame, fodder, onions, and other crops, benefiting hundreds of farmers in the districts of Yabaath and Brom Mayfa. New beneficiaries will be targeted after the Eid al-Fitr holiday in the districts of Hajar and Mayfa. In addition, greenhouses were supplied and installed for vegetable cultivation, along with other interventions in urgently needed water and sanitation projects.
The meeting emphasized the importance of continued coordination and partnership between the local authority in Hadramawt Governorate, the Dutch government, and the FAO, which contributes to strengthening food and water security and achieving sustainable development in the governorate.