Village Profiles
Bait Al-Azani
Bait Al-Azani is a very old, established village of around 2,700 people. It is a high altitude village, producing sorghum, maize, beans, qat, tomatoes and potatoes under irrigation and rearing cows and sheep. Some rainfed crops are grown, but the area is suffering from drought and is vulnerable to soil erosion and floods. The agricultural resources are not enough to meet the needs of the population; up to 60% of households have employment outside the village.
The village was mined around 1980 during the conflict between north and south. The presence of both anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines brought insecurity and accidents including several deaths and loss of livestock. Bait Al-Azani was classified as a low impact village in the LIS. Two male survivors were met; one injured in 1982 the other in 2000. Both were interested in compensation and medical treatment.
Village services and communications are reasonably good and the village is within medium distance of a market in the district centre. A strong local cultural association, founded by members of the village, played a useful role in facilitating the work of the demining teams. Demining was carried out in 2004 and 2006, but some un-cleared areas still remain. One incident occurred after 2000, but none since the start of demining. Mine clearance was said to have saved lives and made people feel safer, but they still experience some fear. The main benefits have been the opening of roads and increasing the area for animal grazing, collection of firewood, fodder and stone. No one has yet planted on the cleared land.
The opportunities identified for the demined land, were a water supply project to extend irrigation and ploughs to cultivate the land. Another idea was for a community project such as a sports ground or garden. Road safety could be improved through warning signs, bridges and pavements. They would like demining of the whole affected area. For the wider village, a drinking water project was prioritized. Other ideas were a medical unit, a mosque, renovation or construction of a school, especially for girls; a literacy campaign and extension centre.
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Bani Bahlool District, Sana’a Governorate, Joab
Joab is a medium-sized, high altitude village of approximately 5000 people (about 400 households). Of these 1000 are old, 2000 middle aged and 2000 children. Approximately 90% are classified as poor. All are farmers (even if they have other jobs). 200 are in the military and another 100 have other employment (e.g. school teachers etc).
The village is an agricultural village, despite being only half an hour from Sana’a. Only 10% of the villagers have salaried employment; the rest are land/livestock owners and/or laborers (working for cash) or share-croppers (working for a proportion of the production). Agriculture is limited by lack of water and, previously, by the presence of landmines. No production problems with either crops or livestock were reported. Both animals and crops are important, with crops being predominant. Only 30% of staple food needs come from their land and the remaining 70% is purchased.
Crop land (including that in the cleared/mined mountain areas) has private land titles that go back over generations and each person knows his land. Grazing area is communal. Thus all have access to grazing land, but only a portion to crop land. Surprisingly, 10% of the households own all the large livestock.
The village is a medium impact village according to the Landmine Impact Survey score. Of the 7 minefields, 2 are cleared, one is in the process of clearance, 4 are yet to be started. Village people themselves cleared some of the mined land (they had no training), and made tracks through that land to get to terraced crop land.
Benefits of demining for the farmers of Joab
Land:
Land cleared by de-mining is now 100% in use. It is being used for farming, herding, cutting wood for fuel, and gathering stone. The village as a whole reported Savings on the cost of fodder for 2000 head of live-stock, a 30% savings on the cost of cereals, 10% savings on the cost of fuel wood, and general savings on butane gas which it was no longer necessary to purchase in large quantities due to the availability of fuel wood.
Water:
De-mining has freed much needed water resources. The newly freed resources are being used by the entire village for drinking water for animals and people as well as irrigation of agricultural land. Villagers credited the additional water resources with dramatically improving in the quality of livestock and crops.
Roads:
The ability to use the roads has dramatically reduced the loss of life among livestock. In the past herders use to herd their animals through narrow, mine free paths. Livestock often wondered off the path and were killed by mines as a result. Additionally, the roads have made it much easier to transport stone, giving the stone cutting industry a significant boost.
Village Profiles
Bait Al-Azani
Bait Al-Azani is a very old, established village of around 2,700 people. It is a high altitude village, producing sorghum, maize, beans, qat, tomatoes and potatoes under irrigation and rearing cows and sheep. Some rainfed crops are grown, but the area is suffering from drought and is vulnerable to soil erosion and floods. The agricultural resources are not enough to meet the needs of the population; up to 60% of households have employment outside the village.
The village was mined around 1980 during the conflict between north and south. The presence of both anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines brought insecurity and accidents including several deaths and loss of livestock. Bait Al-Azani was classified as a low impact village in the LIS. Two male survivors were met; one injured in 1982 the other in 2000. Both were interested in compensation and medical treatment.
Village services and communications are reasonably good and the village is within medium distance of a market in the district centre. A strong local cultural association, founded by members of the village, played a useful role in facilitating the work of the demining teams. Demining was carried out in 2004 and 2006, but some un-cleared areas still remain. One incident occurred after 2000, but none since the start of demining. Mine clearance was said to have saved lives and made people feel safer, but they still experience some fear. The main benefits have been the opening of roads and increasing the area for animal grazing, collection of firewood, fodder and stone. No one has yet planted on the cleared land.
The opportunities identified for the demined land, were a water supply project to extend irrigation and ploughs to cultivate the land. Another idea was for a community project such as a sports ground or garden. Road safety could be improved through warning signs, bridges and pavements. They would like demining of the whole affected area. For the wider village, a drinking water project was prioritized. Other ideas were a medical unit, a mosque, renovation or construction of a school, especially for girls; a literacy campaign and extension centre.
Page 26
Bani Bahlool District, Sana’a Governorate, Joab
Joab is a medium-sized, high altitude village of approximately 5000 people (about 400 households). Of these 1000 are old, 2000 middle aged and 2000 children. Approximately 90% are classified as poor. All are farmers (even if they have other jobs). 200 are in the military and another 100 have other employment (e.g. school teachers etc).
The village is an agricultural village, despite being only half an hour from Sana’a. Only 10% of the villagers have salaried employment; the rest are land/livestock owners and/or laborers (working for cash) or share-croppers (working for a proportion of the production). Agriculture is limited by lack of water and, previously, by the presence of landmines. No production problems with either crops or livestock were reported. Both animals and crops are important, with crops being predominant. Only 30% of staple food needs come from their land and the remaining 70% is purchased.
Crop land (including that in the cleared/mined mountain areas) has private land titles that go back over generations and each person knows his land. Grazing area is communal. Thus all have access to grazing land, but only a portion to crop land. Surprisingly, 10% of the households own all the large livestock.
The village is a medium impact village according to the Landmine Impact Survey score. Of the 7 minefields, 2 are cleared, one is in the process of clearance, 4 are yet to be started. Village people themselves cleared some of the mined land (they had no training), and made tracks through that land to get to terraced crop land.
Benefits of demining for the farmers of Joab
Land:
Land cleared by de-mining is now 100% in use. It is being used for farming, herding, cutting wood for fuel, and gathering stone. The village as a whole reported Savings on the cost of fodder for 2000 head of live-stock, a 30% savings on the cost of cereals, 10% savings on the cost of fuel wood, and general savings on butane gas which it was no longer necessary to purchase in large quantities due to the availability of fuel wood.
Water:
De-mining has freed much needed water resources. The newly freed resources are being used by the entire village for drinking water for animals and people as well as irrigation of agricultural land. Villagers credited the additional water resources with dramatically improving in the quality of livestock and crops.
Roads:
The ability to use the roads has dramatically reduced the loss of life among livestock. In the past herders use to herd their animals through narrow, mine free paths. Livestock often wondered off the path and were killed by mines as a result. Additionally, the roads have made it much easier to transport stone, giving the stone cutting industry a significant boost.