SANAA (Yemen), Oct 4 — In Yemen, coffee is more than a crop. It is part of the country’s history and identity, and growers and businesses are seeking to revive the industry amid years of conflict.
The effort was on display Thursday in Sanaa, where farmers, traders and coffee enthusiasts gathered to mark International Coffee Day.
“Coffee is a treasure for Yemen,” coffee farmer Sheikh Abed Rajeh told Xinhua at the event. Expanding the sector, he said, could raise incomes for rural communities and give a boost to Yemen’s economy.
Mohammed Al-Qasimi, head of the Coffee Unit at Sanaa’s agricultural authorities, said around 15 million coffee trees had been planted across the country over the past five years.
