[04/07/2026 06:28]

ROME – SABA
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Fisheries Salem al-Soqtari discussed Saturday with a technical team from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ways of strengthening technical cooperation in the fields of plant protection, transboundary pest control and the regulation of pesticides fertilizers, and seeds.

The meeting, attended by Jordi Yasmi, the Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division, Dr. Shawki al-Dubai, Head of the Desert Locust and Transboundary Plant Pests Team, and Dr. Bogen Guo, Head of the Pest and Pesticide Management Team, focused on supporting Yemen in developing its plant quarantine system, digitizing border inspection procedures, establishing central laboratories for pest detection and pesticide residue analysis, and enhancing the capacities of the National Seed Corporation and local seed banks.

The two sides also discussed support for programs to combat the desert locust and the red palm weevil, particularly in Hadramout and the Socotra Archipelago.

Minister al-Suqtari emphasized the importance of strengthening the technical partnership between the Ministry and FAO, particularly in the areas of plant production, plant protection, and plant quarantine. He noted that Yemen is facing increasing challenges, including the smuggling of illegal pesticides and fertilizers, weak border controls, and the spread of pests that threaten agricultural production and food security.

For their part, FAO officials reaffirmed the Organization's readiness to provide technical assistance to Yemen by establishing a joint working group in coordination with the FAO Office in Yemen and the relevant departments within the Organization.

The initiative aims to support the development and implementation of a national plant protection strategy while strengthening institutional, legislative, and regulatory capacities.

In a separate meeting, Minister al-Suqtari also met with Kaveh Zahedi, the Director of FAO's Office of Climate, Biodiversity and Environment to discuss cooperation in climate change adaptation, enhancing the resilience of Yemen's agricultural sector, and benefiting from international climate finance programs and funds.

The Minister stressed the importance of expanding cooperation with FAO in implementing priority agricultural and environmental projects, noting that Yemen continues to face growing challenges resulting from climate change and water scarcity.

For his part, the FAO official reiterated the Organization's commitment to continuing technical support and fostering partnerships with the Ministry and relevant national institutions to enhance the effectiveness of climate and environmental projects and contribute to achieving sustainable development outcomes in Yemen.

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