SANAA, Yemen : In the mountainous villages surrounding Sanaa, farmers and shepherds say that a lack of rainfall this year has left fields parched and pastures barren, forcing many to abandon crops and reduce their herds.“Last year, thank God, rain was abundant. But this year, the rainfall has been light. The entire summer passed without any rain, which affected us in agriculture and livestock,” said farmer Muhammad al-Wazir, standing near cracked fields and abandoned terraces.
Shepherd Shamsuddine al-Waqishi, whose flock has dwindled due to hunger and drought, echoed the hardship.“We move from mountain to mountain. There are no pastures anymore like there used to be,” he said.
Agricultural expert and former head of a research centre, Dr. Ismael Muharram, noted that while drought is not new to Yemen, the situation has worsened in recent decades due to several factors including climate change.Muharram noted that Yemenis have historically developed various techniques to cope with drought and manage their limited water resources. These strategies have included constructing mountain terraces, building dams and water barriers, and creating irrigation canals.
“However, the drought has worsened over the past six decades, becoming more severe and more aggressive,” he said.”Based on what we are all observing and experiencing under current conditions in 2025, I see that vast areas—almost more than 85% of the agricultural land—have not been cultivated this year during the first season,” he added.
According to a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report published in April, prolonged dry weather from late 2024 and early 2025 has reduced cereals planting and yields. The report adds that agricultural livelihoods are under severe strain due to lack of rain, with both crop and livestock production declining.Alemu Manni, Chief Technical Adviser for FAO Yemen, said that when it comes to food insecurity across Yemen, drought was not the main driving factor.
“Our analysis, in general, indicates that food security in Yemen is primarily driven by factors like the food and fuel prices and income collapse, accounting for 60 percent of the changes. And conflict plays also a critical role,” he said.
Manni added that the country heavily depends on imports for food, so the direct impact of drought on national food supply is limited.
Yemen's rural communities struggle as drought deepens
Published: July 15, 2025 | Updated 3 days ago
Yemen's rural communities struggle as drought deepens
Published: July 15, 2025 | Updated 3 days ago
SANAA, Yemen : In the mountainous villages surrounding Sanaa, farmers and shepherds say that a lack of rainfall this year has left fields parched and pastures barren, forcing many to abandon crops and reduce their herds.“Last year, thank God, rain was abundant. But this year, the rainfall has been light. The entire summer passed without any rain, which affected us in agriculture and livestock,” said farmer Muhammad al-Wazir, standing near cracked fields and abandoned terraces.
Shepherd Shamsuddine al-Waqishi, whose flock has dwindled due to hunger and drought, echoed the hardship.“We move from mountain to mountain. There are no pastures anymore like there used to be,” he said.
Agricultural expert and former head of a research centre, Dr. Ismael Muharram, noted that while drought is not new to Yemen, the situation has worsened in recent decades due to several factors including climate change.Muharram noted that Yemenis have historically developed various techniques to cope with drought and manage their limited water resources. These strategies have included constructing mountain terraces, building dams and water barriers, and creating irrigation canals.
“However, the drought has worsened over the past six decades, becoming more severe and more aggressive,” he said.”Based on what we are all observing and experiencing under current conditions in 2025, I see that vast areas—almost more than 85% of the agricultural land—have not been cultivated this year during the first season,” he added.
According to a UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report published in April, prolonged dry weather from late 2024 and early 2025 has reduced cereals planting and yields. The report adds that agricultural livelihoods are under severe strain due to lack of rain, with both crop and livestock production declining.Alemu Manni, Chief Technical Adviser for FAO Yemen, said that when it comes to food insecurity across Yemen, drought was not the main driving factor.
“Our analysis, in general, indicates that food security in Yemen is primarily driven by factors like the food and fuel prices and income collapse, accounting for 60 percent of the changes. And conflict plays also a critical role,” he said.
Manni added that the country heavily depends on imports for food, so the direct impact of drought on national food supply is limited.