From Barren to Bountiful: Reviving Farmlands in Al-Gharegah Village, Yemen

This story was posted in observance of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, commemorated on 17 June. In 2025, droughts caused an estimated $8 billion in global losses and affected approximately 27.3 million people. A resilience programme implemented by the UN and partners in Yemen not only supported drought-affected farmers in cultivating food, but also nurtured hope for a better and sustainable future.   

Farmers revive their land, and their livelihoods, after decades of drought and decline in Tur Al-Baha District, Lahj Governorate

For generations, the farmlands of Al-Gharegah Village, in Tur Al-Baha, Lahj Governorate, Yemen, served as a vital source of food, income and identity. Families grew staple crops like maize, millet and sorghum, along with a variety of vegetables and fruits that were sold to nearby towns and the city of Aden. The land wasn’t just a livelihood; it was a way of life.

But for nearly two decades, that way of life withered.

Barren Fields and Lost Hope

Years of adverse impacts from climate change took their toll. Irrigation systems collapsed, wells ran dry and, without affordable diesel to power pumps, fields were left barren. Drought and soil degradation compounded the crisis, and harmful invasive plants overran the abandoned land.

Farmers saw their crops fail, and with them, their dreams. “Before the project intervention, our lands were barren. The soil cracked and thorny plants took over. Farmers lost hope,” recalls Anwar, 50, a lifelong farmer in Al-Gharegah.

For 40 consecutive growing seasons—19 years—farmers like Anwar and Osama, a 52-year-old farmer and university lecturer, struggled to grow anything on their land.

“We tried to grow what we could,” Osama says. “But the crops rarely matured. We couldn’t feed our families, let alone sell anything to the markets. It was devastating.”

Restoring the Flow: Rebuilding the Irrigation Network

In response to this prolonged crisis, the World Bank-funded Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Social Fund for Development (SFD), launched an agricultural intervention aiming to protect and revive the land again. The goal was to rehabilitate the collapsed irrigation network to restore access to water and protect farmland, thereby strengthening the community’s resilience to climate change.

A new 360-metre irrigation canal has since brought life back to 110 hectares of farmland, directly supported 280 farmers and created 395 temporary jobs through construction.

“After the project, everything changed,” says Anwar. “The wells and canals bring water regularly, and the soil became fertile again. We can finally cultivate our fields properly.”

Reclaiming the Land

The land, once overtaken by thorny brush, now supports a variety of crops. Farmers are returning to maize, millet and sorghum, while also planting vegetables and experimenting with fruit crops like lemons, grapes and potatoes.

“Before, the fields were empty,” says Aref, 55. “Now, crops are growing again. We’re even selling to markets in Tur Al-Baha and beyond.”

Farmers are not just cultivating food; they’re nurturing hope. Households are once again eating from their own harvests, selling surplus crops, rebuilding food security and generating incomes.

“The project helped us to regain control of our land,” Osama reflects. “We’ve gone from isolated farmers to a community of cultivators working together again.”

A Community Revived

More than restoring infrastructure, the project has reawakened a sense of dignity and agency among the farmers. Younger generations—children and grandchildren who had only known failed harvests—are now witnessing a return to productivity and purpose.

However, there is still work to be done. Farmers point to remaining canal segments that need rehabilitation, additional wells that require repair and the need for more support. But the momentum is clear.

“This land has given us life before, and now it gives us hope again,” says Anwar.

“We endured decades of hardship,” adds Osama. “But this project shows that with the right support, recovery is possible.”

Where Hope Takes Root 

The construction of the canal in Al-Gharegah Village is a testament to what’s possible when targeted investments meet local community needs. Through collaboration and partnership, once abandoned fields are yielding food, income and opportunity again.

This is not only a story of agricultural rehabilitation; it’s a story of human resilience, of reclaiming what was lost and of believing in the future of Yemen’s rural communities and food security.

Funded and supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), the Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (FSRRP) is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). UNDP’s component of FSRRP improves agricultural production infrastructure and builds climate resilience, and is implemented in partnership with the Social Fund for Development (SFD) and the Public Works Project (PWP).

This story was originally published by UNDP. Please visit the UN team's website for more information about the UN's work in Yemen.