We want to empower Yemenis to grow their own food and escape poverty. New innovative agricultural technologies have the potential to feed everyone, everywhere continuously with nutritious food.
Technologies such insect farming and hydroponic farming can helps families to achieve food security, live healthier and build livelihoods. Hydroponics is a soilless cultivation technique that enables plant growth in arid or peri-urban areas and is more efficient than traditional agriculture. To realise this vision we need empower Yemenis with skills and knowledge provide inclusive learning opportunities to implement hydroponics systems.
With basic training and support Yemenis can become food secure
Agricultural production in Yemen is severely restricted due to severe water shortage. However, hydroponics can stimulate production because it uses 90% less water than traditional agricultural. Hydroponic is a closed system and water is recycled which makes it highly efficient and applicable in Yemen situation.
Simplified hydroponics can be taught to Yemenis with no prior knowledge and only a little training. It highly customisable can be implemented in Yemen by using local materials for small-scale residential and community systems. These systems require no experience and only a basic knowledge and can operate without electricity and user involvement.
For simplified systems every materials such as plastic, ceramic and aluminium containers can be used hydroponic systems at a low cost. Some materials can be locally sourced and nutrient fertiliser can be easily produced with some basic knowledge using locally available organic waste from food.
Simplified hydroponics systems still outperform traditional farming and provide greater yields. People can see concrete results in short space of time. The use of pesticides is unnecessary for indoor or closed systems leading to greater yield of high quality healthier foods. An area of 15 sqm can produce up to 250kg of plants.
Simplified hydroponics gives Yemenis opportunity to generate income from small plots of land and urban spaces. It can lead to large-scales and more advanced systems creating more jobs and income in local economies and reduce dependency on food aid and expensive imports.
Harnessing the potential of technology
Quality video tutorials on how to setup and manage simplified hydroponic systems. Available in Arabic and optimised format to minimise data costs
Scholarships to fund training for 10 young Yemenis to become hydronic champions and manage digital hubs where Yemenis can get free digital access and knowledge
A digital space using Whatsapp and other tools where Yemenis can get expert and peer support in Arabic about hydroponics and other technologies
Help us build a digital learning infrastructure that can help fight poverty in poor countries. Join our actionlabs to design and prototype new solutions