Since time immemorial, Yemenis have been adept at making the best use of scarce water through technology and careful husbandry. Their terraces, elaborate water harvesting structures, and skilful management of springs and flood flows allowed the country to support a large population and a sustainable agricultural economy. But since the creation of the modern state the country has fallen into a...
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Since time immemorial, Yemenis have been adept at making the best use of scarce water through technology and careful husbandry. Their terraces, elaborate water harvesting structures, and skilful management of springs and flood flows allowed the country to support a large population and a sustainable agricultural economy. But since the creation of the modern state the country has fallen into a water crisis characterized by the very rapid mining of groundwater, extreme water supply shortages in the major cities, and limited access of the population to safe drinking water.

These problems are by no means unique to Yemen, but in no other country in the Middle East is the rate of exhaustion of aquifers proceeding so fast; no other capital city faces the prospect of running out of water within the next decade.

The main causes of the crisis include rising demand for water as the population grows at a very high rate (3.5%) and market-led agriculture develops; the unregulated exploitation of groundwater resources; and policies which have promoted expansion rather than efficient use and sustainable management.

Finally, the government's supportive attitude towards the booming production and use of qat, the country's most profitable cash crop, has accelerated trends towards overpumping: qat is estimated to consume 30% of all irrigation water.

The population of 22.6 millions inhabitants is expected to double over the next 20 years. If no sustainable way to manage the water supply can be found, the area is likely to become even more unstable. Violent conflicts over water have already broken out in some of the northern provinces.
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