Farmers in Houthi-Controlled Areas Return to Primitive Plowing Due to Fuel Costs

Farmers in the Mukhlaf Al-Oud region of Al-Dhale province, central Yemen, have been compelled to revert to rudimentary manual plowing methods, pulling plows by hand instead of using modern agricultural equipment. This shift is attributed to their inability to afford fuel costs and the wages for tractor plowing amidst sharp price increases and deteriorating living and economic conditions in areas under the control of the Houthi militia.

A video clip released by activist Nasr Ayash, a resident of the province, depicted farmers in the "Al-Jerah" valley, northwest of Al-Qataba district, pulling a traditional plow with their bodies to prepare agricultural land for sowing. This scene underscores the extent of economic decline that has forced residents to abandon modern farming techniques and return to primitive practices.

Local farmers informed Akhbar Agency that their inability to bear the costs of operating mechanized plows, coupled with the rising expenses of using oxen for plowing and their feed, has led them to devise an alternative method relying on direct human effort.

According to the farmers and the circulated video, the method involves two individuals pulling the plow in a straight line, while a third farmer operates the toothed iron implement, controlling its direction and depth. A fourth person then sows the seeds.

Other farmers from the region explained that this primitive method has become a necessity due to their declining purchasing power and the surge in fuel prices. They noted that a jerrycan of diesel now costs 13,500 Yemeni Rials in old currency, equivalent to approximately 100 Saudi Riyals, a significant increase from less than 1,000 Rials before the war commenced in September 2014, representing a rise of over 15-fold.

The farmers added that their hardships are not confined to the increased prices of petroleum derivatives and animal feed. They are further exacerbated by arbitrary taxes imposed by the Houthi militia under the guise of Zakat. They stated that these levies are excessive and unlawfully collected, unlike anything citizens have experienced before, thereby doubling the burden on farmers and threatening their ability to continue agricultural activities.

Economic sources indicated that the sight of farmers pulling plows by hand reflects the significant downturn in the agricultural sector within areas controlled by the Houthi militia, amid rising production costs and the erosion of incomes for rural families who depend on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood and food security.