Some ancient practices used for agricultural pest control in Yemen

Agriculture in Yemen dates back at least 5000 years. As far as insects are concerned, some references to beekeeping date back to about 1000 BC. The history of insect collection in Yemen started in the 18th century, with the Danish expedition of Frederick V. Although this expedition ended tragically with most members dying of disease, its results were later published. As we follow the history of agriculture in Yemen we find that farmers developed a great store of knowledge, elaborated through ..

The evolution of insect biodiversity in Yemen

The Republic of Yemen is located in the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula, at 12-20oN and 41-54oE, and bordered to the north by Saudi Arabia, to the south by the Arabian Sea, to the east by Oman and to the west by the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. In the Red and Arabian seas are 112 islands, the biggest of which is Suqutrā. Yemen can be divided into four topographic regions: the coastal areas, the western highlands, the eastern plateau, and the Empty Quarter (al-Rubc al-Khalī), in additi..

Savoirs locaux et agriculture durable au Yémen

Réalisé en partenariat avec le Centre Yéménite de Ressources Génétiques, ce numéro des ‘Cahiers du CEFAS’, qui fait suite à deux précédents ‘Cahiers du CFEY’, réunit une sélection de 19 articles issus du séminaire Place des pratiques et des techniques anciennes dans l’agriculture yéménite d’aujourd’hui : problèmes et perspectives, qui s’était tenu en juin 2000 à la Faculté d’Agriculture de Sanaa et dans les locaux du CEFAS. Plus de trente anthropologues, archéologues, géographes, historiens, agronomes et spécialistes du développement, étrangers et yéménites, ont pris la parole au cours de ces journées de rencontres et d’échanges.Loin d’un regard nostalgique sur l’image d’une agriculture yéménite immuable qui aurait échappé à toute modernisation ‘néfaste’ de ses pratiques et de ses techniques, et bien loin d’un débat remettant en question des avancées technologiques ‘excessives’ et leurs éventuels effets sur l’environnement et la qualité de l’alimentation, il fut davantage question ici de réfléchir aux interventions en matière de développement dans un pays principalement d’économie rurale et pour lequel toute politique de développement doit s’appuyer en priorité sur le travail de sa population paysanne.This third publication of ‘Cahiers du CEFAS’ –previously named ‘Cahiers du CFEY’- results from a partnership with the Yemeni Genetic Resources Center (YGRC) and consists of 19 articles selected from the seminar The place of ancient agricultural practices and techniques in Yemen today : problems and perspectives, held in June 2000, at the Faculty of Agriculture of Sanaa University and in the CEFAS. More than 30 anthropologists, archaeologists, geographers, historians, agronomists and development specialists, from Yemen and abroad, participated in the meetings. Far from being a nostalgic point of view on a potentially ‘unchanging’ Yemeni agriculture, protected from any ‘harmful’ modernisation of its practices and techniques, and at the same time, far from discrediting ‘excessive’ technological improvements and their effects on environment or food quality, this seminar was clearly dedicated to sharing ideas related to development operations in this mainly rural country, where any development policy has to, in all cases, rely upon farmers’ labour