EU, UNDP and FAO sign €10 million deal to create farm jobs and steadier harvests in Yemen

The European Union, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a €10 million ($11.4 million) agreement to strengthen farming and food businesses in Yemen and create jobs that last, UNDP said in a statement issued from Aden and Amman on 8 October.

The project, called SANABEL, will run for 42 months. Its full name is the Sustainable Agri-food and Natural Resources for Accelerating Business Growth, Economic Resilience and Livelihoods project.

Nearly half the people in government-held areas face acute hunger

The deal comes at a hard moment for Yemen's food supply. In areas controlled by the internationally recognized government, about 5 million people, or 47% of the population, were in crisis-level food insecurity or worse, including 1.4 million in emergency conditions, according to the latest IPC hunger analysis, published in June by WFP, FAO and UNICEF. The agencies projected the emergency figure would rise to 1.8 million between October and December.

They named weak purchasing power, irregular salaries, high food and fuel prices, costly farm inputs, climate shocks and a sharp drop in humanitarian aid as causes. That analysis does not cover areas outside government control.

From the field to the market, not just more crops

SANABEL is designed to work along the whole chain, from farmers and farm workers to traders, food processors, transporters and small firms. The project will help farmers adopt climate-smart practices and manage water better, link them more closely to businesses and markets, and support local processing so more value stays in Yemen. Water gets special attention because, the agencies said, it underpins the rural economy.

UNDP will focus on jobs, livelihoods, private-sector development and local governance. FAO will work with farmers, local institutions and agri-food businesses on water management and value chains.

“With displacement expected to rise, acting now to protect incomes and keep local systems working is critical.” — Noura Hamladji, UNDP Yemen Resident Representative

Patrick Simonnet, the EU ambassador to Yemen, said the project "brings together the different pieces needed to turn Yemen's agricultural potential into lasting economic opportunities, from climate-smart production and sustainable management of natural resources to stronger markets, businesses and access to jobs."

Adam Yao, FAO's acting representative in Yemen, said SANABEL "responds to the realities faced by communities across Yemen by supporting farmers, businesses and local institutions."

Targets still to be published

The statement describes aims, not results. It does not say how many jobs or households the project expects to reach, or in which governorates it will work. It says SANABEL builds on existing initiatives and local development priorities, with a focus on benefits that continue after the project ends.

The agencies have not said when the first activities on the ground will start. SANABEL is set to run for 42 months from its signing.