Posted in: Yemen Observer
Written By: Raghda Gamal
Article Date: Feb 21, 2009
Potential solutions for two of Yemen’s biggest problems, water and Qat, were discussed by Professor of Hydrogeology, and Water Resources Consultant Dr. Mohamed Fara al-Dubai. His discussion was the centerpiece of an event being held at the Yemeni Historical and Future Strategic Studies Center (Manarat) last Thursday.
Al-Dubai began the symposium by asking why everything has to be imported into Yemen, with the notable exception of perhaps the country’s most commonly used product, Qat. He then discussed the need to minimize Qat farming in the country, saying the plant should be imported, thereby allowing Yemen to better conserve its water resources.
He argued Yemen has a strong history of responsible use of water resources, pointing to the Mareb dam for instance. He also discussed the importance of preventing the use of certain kinds of chemical compounds, which are known to cause serious health problems for a number of Yemeni’s.
He also stressed the government’s role in actually solving this problem, rather than simply holding symposiums or workshops, as the problems stemming from Qat are more serious than simply the money wasted on the plant. Rather, Qat represents a serious health problem for Yemeni society; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates as many as 20,000 new cancer cases are discovered each year in the country, and many of these stem either directly or indirectly from the use of Qat.
Part of the audience at the Manarat CenterAlthough many of the problems related to Qat derive from people chewing the plant, al-Dubai believes the serious burden it places on family incomes should be regarded as a problem in itself. In Yemen, after food Qat typically represents the second largest portion of a family’s spending.
He suggested several solutions for these pressing problems; reduce the amount of water in water bottles to one-half liter to reduce waste, and to find a replacement crop for Qat farmers, as he argued they should be encouraged to plant crops which consume less water.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق