Ministry of Agriculture Seeks International Lawsuits Against U.S. for Targeting Agricultural Sector

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation held a press conference today in Sana’a to disclose the repercussions and losses sustained by the agricultural sector due to the disruptive activities of the American espionage network and the systematic targeting of the sector over the past years.

In a statement read by Dr. Radwan Al-Rubai, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Agricultural and Fisheries Committee, the ministry emphasized that the targeting of the agricultural sector by the American-Israeli espionage network has adversely affected all agricultural policies, strategies, programs, and projects implemented over the past decades.

Dr. Al-Rubai highlighted that this targeting has led to a decline in production, increased costs and waste, and a decrease in the economic returns of local products. Additionally, it has caused an imbalance in the trade balance between imports and exports and capital flow disruptions.

He pointed out that the espionage network’s activities have resulted in the unjust distribution of wealth, concentrating it in the hands of a few influential individuals within the regime and their relatives, whom the enemy has empowered to own the largest import and distribution companies, amass wealth, and buy loyalties.

During the conference, attended by Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Agricultural Services Sector Dhiyaf Allah Shamlan and Engineer Samir Al-Hanani, Director of Agricultural Production Development, Dr. Al-Rubai asserted that the American enemy has targeted local production at all stages of production and marketing. The destructive methods of the enemy are evident in the absence of national economy-building and protection programs.

He explained that the American targeting of Yemen’s agricultural sector has led to a decline in the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a decrease in its economic growth rates, as well as a reduction in the agricultural workforce.

Dr. Al-Rubai elaborated on the impacts of the systematic targeting of the agricultural sector, noting that the economic reform program implemented during 1994-1999 led to a reduction in the agricultural sector’s contribution to the GDP from 22.5% during 1990-1994 to 18%. This contribution further decreased to 13.8% during 2000-2004, four years after the program’s implementation.

The statement noted that economic growth rates in the agricultural sector declined, leading to increased production costs, decreased productivity, and reduced cultivated areas. Additionally, the agricultural workforce percentage dropped from 59% during 1990-1994 to 46% during 1995-2004. The relative importance of the area planted with grains also declined from 70% during 1984-1994 to 57% during 1995-2005.

The area planted with grains decreased from an average of 806,836 hectares during 1984-1994 to 666,477 hectares during 1995-2005, with production quantities falling by 17.4%. Growth rates of grain crops dropped from 11.8% to -3.1%.

The Ministry of Agriculture held the American administration and its intelligence services fully responsible for the suffering and losses experienced by Yemeni farmers over the previous periods. It indicated that the agricultural leadership is considering filing a lawsuit in international courts to compel the Americans to pay compensation to Yemeni farmers for the targeting they endured.

The ministry affirmed it would not allow continued infiltration and would work to cleanse the agricultural sector of agents and spies. It called on the media, activists, and the Yemeni people to support the leadership and relevant authorities in thwarting the enemies’ plans.

The Ministry of Agriculture expressed gratitude to the security services and the intelligence agency for their significant efforts and achievements in uncovering the American-Israeli espionage network and exposing American plots.