Yemen, IFAD talk on agricultural cooperation

SANA'A, June 01 (Saba) - Yemen and International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD) talked here on Monday on means of enhancing cooperation in the agricultural field.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mansour al-Hawshabi and Director of Yemen's
Portfolio in IFAD Omar Dhafer dealt with the fund's mechanism for carrying out the
project of developing production of coffee, honey and vegetables in Yemen during the
coming period.

The project focuses on following up the production of those crops starting from
planting process to phases of production, marketing and exporting.

The meeting discussed the possibility of IFAD's support to fruits production
improvement, especially in regard to packaging, marketing and exporting in addition
to the modern agricultural methods and blights control.

The Minister al-Hawshabi hailed the IFAD's supportive role to the plans of
agricultural development in Yemen to enhance the Yemeni agriculture sector's role in
achieving food security.

He pointed to the significance of the project in supporting and encouraging
production of the three crops to prop up the national economy through the crops'
exports as well as its importance in improving farmers' incomes and creating work
opportunities.

IFAD's official also affirmed that the fund will focus on financing rural
agricultural projects and agricultural production development in Yemen via upgrading
exports preparing centres to help farmers to benefit from their agricultural crops.

BA/AF