Southern Governorates Rural Development Project

After Yemen’s unification, formerly nationalized lands were de-nationalized and many poor farmers were dispossessed of land that was returned to former owners. The objective of this project was to improve the standard of living and incomes of poor landless people, particularly the farmers who were impoverished as a result of de-nationalization. The focuses of IFAD’s activities were reinforcing community cohesions, raising the level of welfare among poor people and testing innovative approaches involving poor people in planning and implementing community activities.

IFAD-funded activities included:

• land development, rehabilitation and allocation to poor landless households
• development of opportunities for generating off-farm income in the fisheries and livestock sectors through training and credit for small and microenterprises
• community development through strengthening community management skills and institutions
• economic and social development at community level

Source: IFAD