Photo credit: YSDG in Sana'a and Ibb. (Plantation of Sesame on 10 Maads of land-Training 50 farmers on Basics of sesame cultivation Training- Training 50 youth on Establishment and management of small income-generating project - Establishment of sesame oil plant - Sesame harvesting process.)

With the generous contribution of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and under the supervision of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC), and within the framework of the “Islamic Development Bank Grant for the Project of Produced Agricultural Villages in Yemen (YEM1017)”, the Yemen Sustainable Development Network (YSDG) implemented the Productive Agricultural Villages Project in the governorates of Al Hodeidah and Ibb, where 85% of the project activities were completed through cultivation of 10 agricultural Maads with the sesame crop, delivery of agricultural materials of improved seeds (60 kgs), pesticides (75 kgs), and fertilizers (25 kgs) to 50 farmers in Al Hodeidah Governorate, Al Duha district  and harvest an estimated 5000 kg/10 Maads.

The purchase of machinery and factory equipment has been completed (200 kg squeezing machine - 2.5 ton cleaning machine - packing machine - electric generator - one motorcycle) and transferred it to Ibb governorate (Ibb City). The farmers' income was enhanced by adding value in processing the raw sesame that would be harvested. Before the capacity building, the farmers were selling 50 kg of sesame crop at US$60 in December 2021. After the capacity building activities and supporting them with seeds and fertilizers, they sold 50 kg of sesame crop at US$117 in January 2022. 50 farmers were trained on the basics of sesame cultivation and the value chain activities of the process. In addition, 25 young people were trained on establishment and management of small income-generating project.

The sesame factory was also completed by installing the machinery and the equipment. Informational materials such as bottles of oil and marketing brochures were prepared. A manager was recruited to run the factory operations. The process of harvesting the sesame crop has also begun, and 3 workers have been trained to use the machinery and the equipment to produce sesame oil.