[22/01/2023 02:59]

Berlin – Saba

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries, Salem Al-Soqatri, participated in the annual high-level meeting of ministers of agriculture in 71 countries from around the world, which was held in the German capital, Berlin.

The meeting included several sessions. During the sessions, agriculture ministers discussed the issue of food systems transformation and the global response to multiple crises, which include crisis-resistant food systems, climate-friendly food systems, biodiversity conservation and improved cooperation for sustainable global food systems.

During his participation in the discussions on establishing food systems that are resistant to crises, Minister Al-Soqtari spoke about the agricultural and food situation in Yemen, pointing to the exposure of the Yemeni people to successive shocks that affected efforts for advancement and recovery in this regard, the most prominent of which was the war that broke out 8 years ago, as well as the impact of climate change on Yemen, especially the frequent hurricanes and floods in the eastern governorates, which led to damage to the infrastructure of the agricultural and fisheries sectors, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, and finally the Russian-Ukrainian war, which added a major crisis to our country, which imports about 46% of wheat from those two countries.

Minister Al-Soqtari added that these crises collectively contributed negatively to the increase in cases of food insecurity for citizens until it reached 17 million people, and caused severe damage to a wide segment of the people, 68% of whom are engaged in agriculture and fishing, especially since our country has a coastline estimated at 2,500 kilos, and it is considered an agricultural country par excellence.

He touched on the efforts of the government in general and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries in particular, aimed at the gradual recovery and rehabilitation of the agricultural and fisheries sectors in all governorates to enhance its role in improving food security in the country.

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