*

Dr. Khader Balem Atroosh(National Focal Point, WLI, Yemen)*

Work Team:

Bio-Physical TeamSocio-Economic TeamTechnician & Extension Assistances Team

No.NameMission1Khader B. AtrooshWadi Flows, Spate Irrigation practices and management 2 Esam ObadiUnderground water Resources, Abyan Delta basin assessment 3Ali Ahmed YahyaHorticulture crops management 4 Abdulla A. AlmaflahiSoil fertility and nutrition, soil and land maps 5 Barakah M. SalemSoil fertility and nutrition, soil and land maps 6 Mohamed A. AlanbariHorticulture crops management 7Herteen MahaltiHorticulture crops management 8Fadel YeslamField crops management9 Igbal S. GahlanField crops management10 Balil M. SaeedInsects and Honey bees11 Nawal A. QassemPlant Pathology12 Abdulla Q. MagramLand cover13 Sina M. AliRangeland14 Ali F. FartotMechanization 15Nashwan A. ObaidGIS16Nagiba MoamerPublic awermess

No.NameMission1 Mohamed S. AlmagdiSocioeconomic characterization 2 Saleh M. SaeedSocioeconomic characterization

No.NameMission1Mohamed GasserLaboratory analyses2Alwai ManssorLaboratory analyses3Fozia AwaalLaboratory analyses4Aida MarkhosLaboratory analyses5Riam AwasLaboratory analyses6Wafa Saeed AlnenoLaboratory analyses7 Mohamed S. HusseinSoil sample collection8Nasser M. SalamAgricultural Extensions 9Farag AlsharaAgricultural Extensions 10Ahmed M. AlabedAgricultural Extensions 11Mohamed MasekAgricultural Extensions 13Abdullah Dabi QassemAgricultural Extensions

*Location:The Abyan delta plain is located in an arid to sub-tropical area, approximately between latitudes 13o 04 to 13o 18 N, and longitudes 45o 08 to 45o 30 E. It lies at the Gulf of Aden, about 55 km east of Aden.

I.1 General Information

*Population of Abyan Delta (Population, houses and construction census 2004).

DistrictNo. ofhousesNo. ofFamiliesMaleFemaleTotalZingibar39903934131231240125524Khanfar16505161375589053154109044Total Delta20495200716901365555134568Total Abyan governorate5898458833221226212593433819% to the total governorate 34.734.131.230.831.0

*I.1 General Information

Land Use

a)Spate irrigated area24,954 haof which:Spate irrigated area under wadi Bana20,877 haSpate irrigated area under wadi Hassan4,077 hab)Groundwater irrigated area2,971 hac)Abandoned and semi-abandoned area11,538 haGross irrigable area39,463 ha

*Descriptions of soil map legend

I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

TextureSalinityLight TextureMedium TextureHeavy TextureTotalMapping UnitArea (ha)(%)Mapping UnitArea (ha)(%)Mapping UnitArea (ha)(%)(ha)(%)Non salineL11091976M1883168H18266682801671Slightly salineL2189513M2254420H2224519668417Mderately salineL312709M31781H3609520575Strongly salineL42562M4147211H4978827067Subtotal14340100130251001209810039463100Rock outcropsQQ269348SandSD48347SettlementST7856Wadi bedWB524839Subtotal135601356025GRAND TOTAL---53023100

The distribution of land suitability types in the Abyan Delta.Deficiencies:s = soilsa = salinityt = topographyd = drainageQ = sands and beachesSD = sand dunesW = wabi bedU = settlement The distribution of land suitability types in the Abyan Delta.I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

Part I: Bio-physical characterization

TypeClassUnitArea (ha)(%) of Classiified Area (%) of Total AreaHighly suitable1(S1)-280517152Moderately suitable(Arable)2(S2)2s2sa2t2s, sa2s, sa, t2s, d2sa, d1148366247640526860013839110.71.50.52.270.90.80.51.10.3Sub-total66971713Marginally suitable(Arable)3(S3)3s, sa3sa3sa, t7786810950.222.80.21.62Sub-total204054Non-suitable(Non-arable)6(N)6sa6s, sa6sa, d6s,sa, d6sa, t, d5699754831494991.42.51.20.41.311.80.90.30.9Sub-total267575Total Classiified Area3946310074Non-suitable(Non-arable)(Non-classifide)6(N)QQSDWBU2693483452487856.81213259101.5Sub-total135603426Grand Total53023100100

*Observed Wadi Bana Flows During the period of 1948-2008

I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

YearAutumnsummerTotalYearAutumnsummerTotal194864.03.767.7197972.252.3124.5194958.129.587.6198078.475.6154.01950167.741.4209.1198194.40.094.41951149.139.0188.1198242.2112.4154.61952102.818.6121.4198391.639.3130.91953128.050.9178.9198463.629.493.01954228.850.1278.9198556.718.274.91955125.440.8166.2198653.90.053.91956107.120.8127.9198768.195.9164.01957117.9168.7286.6198896.12.698.7195859.525.585.0198944.943.488.31959111.819.0130.81990127.30.0127.3196055.572.0127.5199129.542.972.4196176.913.890.7199250.637.888.41962136.215.1151.3199363.323.186.41963127.0137.8264.8199453.23.656.81964163.552.0215.5199561.32.263.5196568.038.9106.91996120.050.0170.0196679.317.797.01997130.060.0190.0196775.972.7148.6199890.040.0130.01968128.550.4178.9199960.020.080.0196994.242.2136.4200065.030.095.0197081.056.6137.6200160.030.090.0197144.438.182.5200260.020.080.0197274.074.4148.4200370.030.0100.0197394.41.295.6200466.029.595.5197416.513.930.4200584.058.2142.2197555.60.055.6200661.525.386.8197625.154.779.8200761.525.386.8197764.924.789.6200858.232.190.3197857.730.087.7----Descriptive StatisticsStatisticAutumnSummerSampleSize6161Range212.3168.7Mean83.15238.415Variance1463.71020.5Std.Deviation38.25931.946Coef.ofVariation0.46010.8316Std.Error4.89854.0903Skewness1.28271.8176ExcessKurtosis2.45614.8495

I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

Part I: Bio-physical characterization

Table 1, Probability Distribution of Wadi Bana Flow Million Cubic meter (Mm3)SeasonProbability, P%CvCs51025507590Autumn 1561341037655440.4601.2Summer1028152291580.8321.8Total2582151551057052

I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

Part I: Bio-physical characterization

Cropped Area Map of the Abyan Delta By:Pelgrum H. et all, Satellite Imagery for Cropping Pattern and Irrigated Area Monitoring, MAI, July 2009.

EXAMPLE of BANANA PLANTATIONS

*Land Cover PlantsI.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

FamilyScientific NameFamilyScientific NameTamaricaceaeTamarix aphyllaCapparaceaeCadab rotundifoliaSalvadoraceaeSalvador persicaZygophyllaceaeTribulus terrestrisLeyuminosaePrsopis jalifloraMoraceaeFicus sycomorusRhamnaceaeZiziphus spina ChristiMimosaceaeAcacia tortilisMeliaceaeZadirachta indicaGramineaeOdyssa mucronataMimosaceaeAibizzia lebbekMimosaceaeAcacia niloticaLeguminosaeParkinsonia aculeataAsclepodiaceaeLeptadenia pyrotechnicaCappraceaeDipterygium glaucumEuphorbiaceaeEuphorbia hirtaChenopdiaceaeSalsola foetidaChenopodiaceaeSuaeda fruticosaGramineaeSporobolus spicatusCompositaePluchea dioscoroidesMyrtaceaeEngenia jambolanaZygophllaceaeFagonia indicaEuphorbiaceaeRicinus communisLeguminosaIndigofera oblangifoliaZygphyllaceaeZygophyllum simplexTephrosia opollineaCyperaceaCyperus longusGramineaeBrachiara reptansLeguminosaePrsopis cnieraiaGramineaeCynodon dacyionLeguminosaeLeucaene leucoepnalaCyperaceaeCyperus rotundusZygopyllaceaeBalanites aegyptiacaMalvaceaeAbutilon fruticosumCompositaePulicaria crispaCapperidacaeCleome spGramineaeDesmostachya binnataTiliaceaeCorchorus depressnsCombertaceaeConocarous lancifoliusLeguminosaeCassia senna

*Land Cover PlantsI.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

FamilyScientific NameFamilyScientific NameIndigofera spinosaZygophyllaceaeTribulus spCassia italicaCompositaeYanthium strumarriumPrimulaceaeAnagalls arvensisFabaceaeAinagi maurorumGramineaeHalpprum mucronatumGramineaeDactyloctenium aegyptiumSolanceaeWithania somniferaSolanaceaeLycium shawiiCompositaeSonchus oleraceus L.MimosaceaePithecolobium deluceLythraceaeLawosonia inermisLeguminosaeIndigofera semitigingaGramineaePanicum turgidumCucurbitaceaeCucumis myrocarpusArisolochinaceaeAristolocnia bracteolateCapparaceaeCapparis deciduaSolanaceaeSolanum dubiumMimosaceaeAcac melliferaGramineaeOdyssa mucronataSolanaceaeDatura stramoniumBoraginaceaeHeliotropium bacciferumTamaricaeaeTamarix arabieaCappariceaeCapparis spinosaConvolovulaceaeConvolvulus arvensisCucurbitaceaeCitrullus colocynthisMonringaceaeMoringa pergginaPenesitum purpurumCombaraceaeTerminalia catappEuphorbiaceaeChrozophora oblongifoliaCucurbiaceaeMornordica basaminaLeguminosaeRhynchosia memoniaLeguminosaeTamarindus indicaAmaranthaceaeAerva javanicaBignoniaceaeTecoma StansMalvaceaeThespesia popuineaLeguminosaePeltophorum africanumAsclpidaceaeCalotropis proceraAmaranthaceaeAmaranthus graecizansCompositaePluicaria sp

*I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

Groundwater Abstraction in Delta Abyan

*Groundwater Table, m in the Delta Abyan2008-2010I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

*

Chart2

7.34.78

13.516.9

14.45.44

2.271.68

15.36.9

25.3512.4

29.120

4.894.22

3017.16

32.6527.27

25.2522.84

9.68.83

28.67.83

14.456.39

25.821.74

19.277.58

7.322.53

3.653.73

12.58.92

27.914.66

18.918.6

30.620.8

25.3512.1

25.317.8

WL 2010

WL 1997

Location

WL(m)

SWL Abyan delta

Sheet1

UTM NORUTM EASTLOCATIONWL 2010WL 1997

14757250533164SUBIBAH7.304.78

14773160530746AM JABLAH13.516.9

14800500544490BA AMER14.405.44

14457240543339ALSHEIKH ABDULLAH2.271.68

14653380536803COBALIAH15.306.9

14673900535645GOUL AL SADAH25.3512.4

14506960534437AL KHAMELA29.1020

14438500534492DUFAS4.894.22

14535500533366ADDIO30.0017.16

14533330529359KHABT AL ASLOM32.6527.27

14604370528398AL GABALIN25.2522.84

14658430525879KATER9.608.83

14659110534502AL MAHJAR28.607.83

14626340536976UBER OTHMAN14.456.39

14605210543334AL TORYAH25.8021.74

14657900531516AL ROMELLAH19.277.58

14710490528946ARROWA7.322.53

14567850551690AL SHEIKH SALEM3.653.73

14521960544182BA GEDAR12.508.92

14694700535067AHL FOLIS-1327.9014.66

14617270539729Al Kamp Vilage18.9018.6

14521800536679AlWahda Farm30.6020.8

14565690537334ALLKADMAH25.3512.1

14525290538693AMODDIAH25.3017.8

Sheet1

WL 2010

WL 1997

Location

WL(m)

SWL Abyan delta

Sheet2

Sheet3

*

*

I.2 Agro-ecosystem characterization

*The main findings: The total cultivated area is about 14173 hectares, Spate irrigated areas are equivalent about 79.04% of the cultivated area in the delta. The groundwater irrigated area is equivalent about 20.96% of the cultivated area in the delta. Bananas Occupied the first place between fruit crops. Cultivation is concentrated in the bottom of the Delta by 72.15% of the bananas cultivation. Spate irrigated areas are concentrated at the top and central Delta, while groundwater irrigated areas are concentrated in the bottom of the Delta. An area of field crops occupied 82.06% of the cultivated area. Tomato is the main vegetable and occupies about 30.41% of the group. There is a significant change in the crop structure into fruits, where the banana, mango and papaya are being expanded especially in the bottom and top of the Delta. There are declining in the watermelon cultivations for the yellow mosaic viruses. Long-staple Cotton is the main crop growing under spate irrigation. Intercropping is practiced by farmers, but at low rates.(Banana + Papaya + Onion + Tomatoes + Radishes). There is a large of research techniques are not adopted by farmers. The adopted research techniques occupied 55.3%, 55.2% and 62.2% of the totals for vegetables, fruits and field crops respectively.

II.1 Livelihood assessment:

Set up and size of agricultural family in Abyan Delta ( Result of questionnaire)

*

*Age category and educational level for agricultural families ( Result of questionnaire )

II.1 Livelihood assessment:

*Part II: Socio-economic Characterization II.1 Livelihood assessment:Economic return for major crops cultivated in Abyan Delta

CropIrrigation systemYield (Kg/ha)Total return YR/haTotal cost YR/haNet return YR/haRemarksCottonSpate1366.08153684121690.331993.7Low returnCottonTubewell1586.15178441.87201951.5-23509.7LossSesameSpate53621927369200150073Sorghum (grains)SpateGrain 338 Fodder 17621375206450573015Low returnGroundnutSpate1897379400137000242400TomatoTubewell20283676100166711509389Red pepperTubewell773373286152169221117OkraTubewell9274360994169422191572WatermelonSpate15871488351132500355851SweetmelonSpate15476429157141000288157BananaTubewell22800900000261333638667AnnuallyMangoTubewell1593817260922432281482864Annually

*Part II: Socio-economic Characterization Sources of income and its contribution in agricultural family livelihood in Abyan Delta ( By Questionnaire)

* Local taxis, small kiosks and other work (Group discussion) II.1 Livelihood assessment:

RegionSource of income and its contribution in family livelihoodPlant productionCattle rearingWages from employmentFree trade *Family dependent on resource %Contribution of resource, %Family dependent on resource %Contribution of resource, %Family dependent on resource %Contribution of resource %Family dependent on resource %Contribution of resource %Upper Delta9055.2202066.736.56.74.3Middle Delta90521713.75029.7104.7Lower Delta86.764.713.312.546.720.516.79.8Total Delta88.957.316.815.454.528.911.16.3

II.2 Livestock characterization

*Number of animals in Abyan governorate for years 2005-2009 (Agricultural statistics book)

Types of animals20052006200720082009Sheep487.173506.560531.888550.504561.514Goat794.347818.335851.068880.855898.272Cow21.89422.79423.25023.80824.522Camel11.89412.01812.13812.38112.752

*Weaknesses: Decline in efficiency of spate irrigation network and need rehabilitation of its structures and components . Inadequate of periodic maintenance for main and secondary canals and seasonal preparations for arrival of spate irrigation. Random distribution of spate irrigation water and lack of access of spate water to many areas. High cost of diesel and its continuous non availability at fuel stations in most of time. Decreasing of groundwater table and salting of groundwater in many tube wells. High cost of agricultural inputs (seed, fertilizers and pesticides). Spread of agricultural pests on several crops and inefficiency of available pesticide to control pests ( watermelon chlorotic stunt disease, tomato leaf curl etc.). Absence of agricultural extension who were active in several regions on Abyan Delta.

*Weaknesses: Low price of banana sold mostly in the farm to wholesale merchants at constant price on long term agreement. Low price of several vegetable crops particularly, tomato during peak of season and its piling. Absence of modern marketing infrastructure to accommodate seasonal productions. Monopoly of wholesale merchants in the market and inefficient role of agricultural production marketing society and relevant societies in marketing. Absence of potential activities of societies and weak performance of cooperative works. Weak monitoring ,support and encouragement from agriculture and Irrigation office and local authorities.

*Part III: weaknesses and opportunities for improving rural livelihoods at the Abyan DeltaPriorities:

Capacity building of water users' associations in water use efficiency. Encouragement adoption of irrigation water saving technology. Encouragement of cooperative movement and role of civil community organizations (NGOs) in Abyan Delta , past, present and future prospects with the objective to support participation of community and its organizations in agricultural and rural development , resource management and local affairs. Support of institutional building of spate irrigation and revive the legal relationship in Abyan Delta with the objective to activate and improve the water resource management. Support agricultural research and extension in Abyan Delta and revive its role for agricultural and rural development. Study the experience of saving and credit of women groups in Abyan Delta , demonstrate the success and disseminate this experience. Participatory Monitoring and evaluation for adoption of agricultural recommendation by farmers released by research .

*

El Kod Agricultural Research Station, El Kod. National Water resource Authority, Abyan governorate Farmers in Abyan Delta, beneficiaries from this initiative. Agricultural Extension Service , Abyan governorate Agricultural associations (specialize and multipurpose). Irrigation Water Users' associations Women's associations Youth associations Union of Agricultural Cooperative, Abyan governorate. Union of Yemeni Women , Abyan governorate Agricultural and Irrigation Office , Abyan governorate Spate Irrigation Department , Abyan governorate Plant protection organization , Abyan governorate Insurance and Social Affairs Office , Abyan governorate Local councils in governorate and districts Institutions engaged in agricultural i.e. Al Maaz Company and agricultural input merchants

*Thank you for your attention

***