Preserving Yemeni Coffee: How Climate Resilience Initiatives Are Securing a National Legacy
In the heart of Yemen, coffee farming is more than an economic activity; it’s a cultural legacy that ties generations together. For Saeeda, a coffee farmer from Sabr Al-Mawadem, her family’s coffee trees symbolize resilience and heritage, nurtured through love and dedication despite the challenges posed by climate change. Saeeda’s story is a reflection of Yemen’s historic coffee culture and its battle for survival amidst worsening climate conditions.
Climate Resilience and Innovative Solutions
Yemen’s coffee farmers face an uphill battle against decreased rainfall, rising temperatures, and soil degradation. To combat these challenges, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Public Works Project (PWP) under the Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP), has introduced rainwater harvesting tanks funded by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). These tanks provide a lifeline for farmers like Saeeda during Yemen’s increasingly dry seasons.
In Sabr Al-Mawadem, the installation of two 400-cubic-meter tanks has already shown tangible results. Farmers who had access to this water resource reported improved coffee yields this season. However, Saeeda highlights the need for more infrastructure to support the broader farming community, ensuring that all farmers in the valley can benefit.
The Community Spirit of Yemeni Coffee
Harvesting coffee cherries in Yemen is a deeply communal activity, blending cultural traditions with labor. For Saeeda, the harvest season is a time for family and community to come together, share stories, and celebrate their connection to the land. Coffee cherries are meticulously dried on rooftops—a labor-intensive process that requires vigilance to maintain quality.
“This work is not just about income; it’s about preserving our ancestors’ culture and passing it on,” says Saeeda.
Challenges Beyond Climate: Pests and Knowledge Gaps
In addition to water scarcity, Yemeni coffee farmers struggle with agricultural pests and limited access to modern pest control methods. Relying on generational knowledge, farmers like Saeeda hope for increased support and training from organizations to tackle these persistent issues.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Despite the challenges, Saeeda is optimistic about the future of Yemeni coffee. She dreams of inspiring young farmers to see the economic and cultural value of coffee farming. “The youth can benefit from coffee’s returns while preserving our heritage,” she says, urging for more investment in agricultural tools and educational resources to secure the next generation of Yemeni coffee farmers.
A Legacy Worth Preserving
Saeeda’s unwavering dedication to her farm and her heritage embodies the resilience of Yemen’s coffee sector. Each cup of Yemeni coffee carries the story of a farmer’s struggle and triumph. Through initiatives like the FSRRP, Yemeni farmers are receiving the support they need to overcome adversity, sustain their communities, and preserve their cultural legacy.
As Saeeda aptly puts it, “Preserving this tree and our heritage is more important than just the economic value.” Her story is a reminder of the critical importance of supporting Yemen’s coffee farmers in safeguarding a legacy that has shaped the nation’s identity for centuries.
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Preserving coffee cultivation amidst climate change in Yemen: A legacy in every bean
How climate resilience and community support are helping Yemeni farmers to overcome challenges and sustain a cultural legacy
TAIZ, YEMEN – For Saeeda, coffee farming in Taiz, Yemen, is more than a livelihood; it’s a legacy. Growing up on her father’s farm in Sabr Al-Mawadem, Saeeda learned to care for coffee trees alongside her parents, who taught her to prune, harvest, and respect the land. Today, as she cultivates her family’s 8,400-square-metre plot, her love for the land and dedication to Yemen’s coffee heritage guide her through both the trials and triumphs that go into every cup.
“Agriculture is like a mother to her child,” she says, explaining the emotional connection she feels toward her work. “It improves our family’s income, but it also allows us to pass on our ancestors’ culture.”
Rainwater harvesting builds resilience
As climate change intensifies across Yemen, farmers like Saeeda face mounting challenges. Rainfall has decreased dramatically, leaving coffee trees – and the families who depend on them – vulnerable.
In response, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Public Works Project (PWP), has constructed rainwater harvesting tanks across the region as part of the Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP), funded and supported by the World Bank. These tanks provide crucial water reserves for coffee farming during Yemen’s dry months.
In Sabr Al-Mawadem, two 400-cubic-metre tanks have already made a difference; they’ve allowed Saeeda and a handful of other farmers to maintain their crops through recent droughts. “Only the farmers who used water from the Public Works Project tanks saw their production improve this season,” Saeeda shares. Still, she notes the pressing need for more tanks to support the entire valley.
A tradition preserved through family and community
Harvest season is a time of unity and tradition in Sabr Al-Mawadem. Each morning, Saeeda gathers her family to pick the ripened cherries before sunrise. As they work, they share stories, sing folk songs, and reminisce about past seasons and elders who came before them. “It’s a time to come together, not just as a family, but as a community,” she says with pride.
The harvested cherries are carefully spread on rooftops to dry – a process that takes several months and requires constant attention to protect quality. “Getting to the point of having a cup of coffee to drink isn’t easy,” Saeeda explains. “It takes nearly nine months of dedication to grow coffee.”
Overcoming climate challenges
Beyond water scarcity, Saeeda and other farmers in Sabr Al-Mawadem face challenges including rising temperatures, soil degradation, and the spread of agricultural pests, like coffee and stem borers. Without clear guidance on pest control, Saeeda relies on traditional knowledge passed down through generations and hopes that support organizations will provide more training and resources.
Despite the challenges, Saeeda’s pride in her work and her heritage remains unwavering. “Our connection to the coffee tree runs deep. When we drink a cup of our coffee, we feel the value of our effort and the months we spent caring for the tree.”
Empowering the next generation
While Saeeda tends to her fields with dedication, she dreams of a future where Yemeni youth will carry forward the country’s coffee legacy. As the head of her family’s farm, she encourages younger farmers to value coffee for its economic potential and cultural importance. “The youth can benefit from coffee’s returns while preserving our heritage,” she says, urging local leaders to invest in agricultural tools and resources that will empower the next generation.
Saeeda’s farm isn’t the only one transformed by FSRRP’s interventions. Across Yemen, farmers who’ve been supported by the project are achieving improved yields and resilience. In the coming years, UNDP and its partners aim to expand these resources to reach thousands more, strengthening food security, and stabilizing livelihoods in Yemen’s agricultural communities.
A legacy in every cup
Saeeda’s story reflects the enduring strength of Yemen’s farmers, who continue to nurture the land despite formidable challenges. With each cup of coffee harvested, dried, and shared, she celebrates not only the fruits of her labor but also a legacy rooted in tradition and strengthened by a hope for the future.
Through projects like FSRRP, Yemeni farmers are gaining the support they need to overcome adversity and sustain their communities. Yet, as Saeeda reminds us, “Preserving this tree and our heritage is more important than just the economic value.” In a land where every drop of water counts, and every bean carries a story, Saeeda’s resilience is a testament to the promise that even in the face of hardship, traditions will endure.
