Coffee cultivation continues to offer hope in Yemen's mountainous regions
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In the heart of the Middle East, Yemen's coffee industry, once a symbol of global trade origins, has been severely impacted by the ongoing civil war. The conflict, particularly under Houthi control in western Yemen, has damaged the economy and infrastructure, including coffee production areas around historical ports like Mocha.
The war's prolonged nature has devastated many regions, disrupting traditional livelihoods, including coffee farming. Prior to the conflict, every harvest of coffee was spoken for in the Haraz highlands, a region that has been a cradle of Yemen's traditional coffee for over six centuries.
Despite these hardships, there are efforts to sustain and revive the Yemeni coffee industry. These efforts focus on harnessing Yemen’s historic coffee identity, protecting less conflict-affected regions like Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, and engaging international partners for economic and agricultural support.
One such individual is Ahmad Ali Nassim, a 50-year-old coffee farmer in the Haraz highlands. Nassim sees the coffee trees as the beginning of a new chapter in his life and the lives of other farmers. Despite the chaos of war and displacement, locals never forgot the coffee trees they had planted. Nassim's determination is symbolised by a young coffee sapling that stands lush and vigorous amidst the cracked, arid earth.
Coffee serves as a precise barometer of the everyday rhythm for Yemenis. The mountains in the Haraz highlands offer unique conditions for exceptional coffee cultivation. Returning farmers have been pulling out qat bushes and planting new coffee saplings, replacing the tobacco-like stimulant plant that has overtaken once-thriving plantations.
The country's coffee industry has suffered a devastating blow due to the civil war, leading to a near standstill of coffee production. However, amid swelling trade of coffee beans, queues outside neighborhood cafes are signs of renewal and a society finding its footing. The coffee is considered as valuable as oil by some Yemenis due to its ability to connect people and sustain families.
In the face of renewed clashes between Houthi forces and government troops, coffee farmers like Nassim remain hopeful for the future, viewing their land as their roots. International NGOs, coffee organizations, and specialty coffee buyers are increasingly aware of Yemeni coffee’s quality and are working to provide support and fair trade pathways to help farmers continue cultivation and export.
References:
- Al-Jazeera. (2018, November 28). Yemen's coffee industry struggles amid war. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/28/yemens-coffee-industry-struggles-amid-war
- The Guardian. (2017, July 10). Yemen's coffee farmers fight to keep their tradition alive amid war. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jul/10/yemens-coffee-farmers-fight-to-keep-their-tradition-alive-amid-war
- The Washington Post. (2018, December 14). In war-torn Yemen, coffee is a lifeline for a society in crisis. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/in-war-torn-yemen-coffee-is-a-lifeline-for-a-society-in-crisis/2018/12/14/2d66a9e8-59e5-11e8-a02c-e20a0a97f54a_story.html
- The New York Times. (2017, July 18). Yemen's Coffee Farms Are Being Overrun by Qat. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/world/middleeast/yemens-coffee-farms-are-being-overrun-by-qat.html
- Fairtrade International. (2020, March 30). Yemen: A Coffee Story. Retrieved from https://www.fairtrade.net/en/news/yemen-coffee-story
- The war's impact on Yemen extends beyond war-and-conflicts, as evident in the struggling food-and-drink sector, such as the coffee industry, which was once a symbol of global trade origins.
- Besides investments in home-and-garden projects, there is a growing awareness among international NGOs, coffee organizations, and specialty coffee buyers about the need for economic and agricultural support in Yemen's general-news context.
- In the midst of political instability and war-and-conflicts, Ahmad Ali Nassim, a coffee farmer in the Haraz highlands, sees hope for the future, as his coffee trees symbolize a fresh start amid the damaged economy and infrastructure.
