Spate Irrigation in the Tihama

Offtake channel along Wadi Zabid

TMT Training in Yemen

The Water and Environment Centre, part of Sana’a University, recently initiated the Water Rights System for Peace and Equality Training for stakeholders from the Spate Irrigation systems in Yemen, including Tihama. A group of 50 participants, from the different wadi’s participated through strong engagement and commitment. Tihama is known as the food basket of Yemen, contributing greatly to food security in the country. Within the group there were 12 people from Tihama and others from the Supreme Agricultural Committee, Bunyan (NGO), Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, FAO, UNDP. During the training each Wadi has developed a plan around water rights. One of the outcomes however is that water rights enforcement is still needed, and essential. For resources on the spate systems in Tihama check:

• The Economic Value of Irrigation Water in Wadi Zabid, Tihama Plain, Yemen

• Participatory rural appraisal to assess groundwater resources in Al Mujaylis Tihama Coastal Plain Yemen

• The War Impact on Food Security in the Tihama Region. Case Study: Wadi Zabid and Wadi Siham

from the Flood-Based Livelihoods Network Foundation,