Yemen is classified as one of the 49 least developed countries in the world, with nearly 42 % of Yemen’s population of 21 million living below the national poverty line. About 56,000 people have been displaced in Sa’ada Governorate since clashes between rebels and government forces flared up again early this year. The areas threatened by the Desert Locust swarms are the most important agricultural production zones of Yemen and nearly all crops, and non-crop plants are at risk. Any infestation of the vegetation would undermine the livelihoods of up to 9,000 local families, particularly in those Governorates which have been classified by WFP as the most vulnerable with over 50% of the population at risk.

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CERF allocates US$1 million to humanitarian assistance in Sa’ada

September 2007: CERF has allocated US$1 million under the rapid response window to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the population in Sa’ada, Yemen. This population is continuously affected by a long-lasting insurgency, which has caused serious disruptions to health, shelter and livelihoods.

The scale of destruction in Sa’ada following three years of conflict [Photo: IRIN]

 The insurgency affecting Sa’ada began three years ago. Hostilities resumed in January 2007 until a still fragile ceasefire came into force in June this year. Following the ceasefire, the UN mounted a joint needs assessment mission. The mission identified food requirements as the most urgent concern, while noting that the sectors of shelter, education and health also were in an urgent need of a rapid humanitarian intervention. A second, more detailed needs assessment mission was undertaken in early August jointly by WHO and the Ministry of Public Health and Population.

CERF funding has been allocated to WHO and UNICEF whose projects target more than one million beneficiaries.

WHO
The CERF grant will be used to provide Emergency Medical Kits to address the urgent needs of the affected population, particularly of the IDPs. A Disease Early Warning System will be established to enable a rapid response in the event of any outbreak of communicable diseases or life-threatening health conditions, including malnutrition. In addition, vaccination services will be provided to all vulnerable children and women in the Sa’ada governorate, where health services have been seriously disrupted by the crisis.

UNICEF
The CERF grant will be used to support the provision of water and sanitation services. The project will ensure that the affected population has access to safe potable water with adequate sanitation facilities whilst providing technical and material support to implementing partners, and supporting the restoration of some collapsed water schemes.

UNICEF will also seek to reduce acute severe and moderate malnutrition for children under five and pregnant/lactating women. The agency will consolidate and expand the screening system for acute severe and moderate malnutrition in communities, health units and centers in the affected areas as well as assist the education authorities and provide psycho-educational activities for affected children in the IDP camps.

[Last Update: 5 September 2007]

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 CERF funding to assist Yemen in controlling a major locust epidemic

CERF has allocated more than US$ 2.4 million to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) for emergency assistance in controlling a fast spreading outbreak of the Desert Locust in the country - the worst Yemen has to face in nearly 15 years. A rapid response is needed to prevent damage to the livelihoods of rural communities and to prevent further the spreading of the Desert Locust into neighboring countries.

A small swarm of locusts can eat as much food in a day as 2,500 people [Photo: IRIN]

 If the current outbreak is not controlled, the Desert Locust will pose an immediate threat to the marginal and small scale agricultural production, and to livestock and honey production of 77 percent of Yemen’s population living in rural areas - major sources of income for the local population.

Since the beginning of 2007, the Horn of Africa and the Near East received an unusually heavy rainfall along the Red Sea coast and interior of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, providing favorable ecological conditions for the Desert Locust to breed. Consequently, simultaneous Desert Locust outbreaks occurred in Eritrea, northern Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and, more recently, in Yemen.

An intensive survey carried out by the national Locust Control Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation together with FAO in May/June 2007 in the interior of Yemen revealed that a widespread Desert Locust breeding is in progress within a large and remote area of about 300 km by 100 km.

If the Desert Locust swarms are not stopped by the last quarter of the year, unchecked Desert Locust swarms could move into the Highlands and onto the Red Sea and Gulf Aden coastal plains. These areas are the most important agricultural production zones of Yemen. An incursion of Desert Locust swarms into these areas could have potentially dramatic consequences on national food security and livelihoods.

As Yemen’s competence in conducting aerial control of the Desert Locust has almost been completely eroded, external international experts are needed to guide and support the Yemeni Locust Control Centre in mounting and conducting aerial operations. To support the control operation, additional pesticides, some spray equipment, pesticide and fuel pumps, protective clothing, and first aid kits will also be supplied.

The CERF funding will support emergency reinforcement of the locust control capacity of Yemen to effectively deal with current Desert Locust outbreak before the livelihoods of the rural and nomadic communities are affected. This support is predominately geared to setting up effective rapid aerial intervention in the remote and insecure areas of the interior of Yemen in order to eliminate the emerging Desert Locust outbreak before it can destroy agricultural production.

[Last Update: 29 June 2007]

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