Agricultural sector analysis, Yemen Arab Republic

This agricultural sector assessment analyzes Yemen"s agricultural development during 1975-80 and identifies constraints to achieving the agricultural development goals set forth in the Second Five Year Program. The authors first discuss the overall Yemeni economy in terms of growth, investment, government revenues and expenditures, international trade, the balance of payments, the financial sector, and the monetary system. While GDP grew 142% from 1975 to 1980, growth in the agricultural sector was nil. As a result, agriculture"s portion of GDP fell from 40% to 29%. Next, the authors detail the agricultural sector in terms of inputs, capital investment, credit, supporting institutions, production, marketing, and consumption. The greatest gains were witnessed in the production of fruits, vegetables, poultry, and eggs. While overall cereal production grew, production of millet and sorghum - the least profitable use of farm labor - fell as farmers grew more profitable grains. Efforts to develop the traditional cash crops of cotton and coffee were dismal failures. The combined effect of the above trends, however, has been favorable to farmers. Arguing that an understanding of the Yemeni farmer has been lacking and is critical to understanding and forecasting agricultural sector performance, the authors provide a sociocultural analysis of kinship, religion, the role of women, leadership, mobility, and time allocation in Yemeni society. Identified as additional constraints confronting the agricultural sector are: (1) poor extension services due to a lack of trained personnel and weak and immature public institutions; (2) limited water and soil resources; (3) inadequate government budgetary support of farming; (4) rising farm labor wages; and (5) male-oriented development projects which ignore women"s central role in farming. Lastly, strategies and recommendations are outlined for the Second Five Year Program. Areas for action emphasized by 68 potential projects included irrigation, livestock, and crop production.