Yemen: FAO Initiative Brings Lifesaving Agriculture and Livestock Aid to Taiz

Taiz, Yemen

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), funded by the Yemen Humanitarian Fund (YHF), has launched an Emergency Agriculture and Livestock Support Project to address severe food insecurity and malnutrition in Taiz Governorate, where nearly 1.9 million people urgently need assistance, with many districts classified as IPC Phase 4 (Emergency).

The project aims to provide vulnerable households in Al-Ma’afer, Jabal Habashi, and Maqbanah districts with critical agricultural and livestock inputs, complemented by unconditional cash assistance.

During the launch event in Taiz City, H.E. Nabil Shamsan, Governor of Taiz, stated, “Agriculture is the backbone of livelihoods for most people in Taiz, and restoring this sector is essential for both our immediate food security and our long-term development.” He highlighted the challenges faced by farmers, noting, “This project is timely and necessary to help our farmers recover from the current crisis."

Mr. Ahmed Al-Wahshi, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, reiterated the importance of the intervention: “Taiz is one of Yemen’s most important agricultural regions, and this intervention comes at a critical time. We are confident it will help improve food security and nutrition for thousands of vulnerable households.”

Mr. Ali Galol, Head of FAO’s Aden Office, added, “With this project, FAO is working to address not only the immediate needs of vulnerable households but also to help them restore and protect their agriculture and livestock-based livelihoods.” He noted that the initiative will support 1,000 households and complements broader humanitarian efforts by other UN agencies.

FAO expressed gratitude to OCHA and YHF for their generous support, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with local authorities for the effective delivery of interventions in Taiz.