Sustainable Natural Resources Management Programme ( SNRMP)

The project is designed to support Yemen’s efforts to reach its priority goals, by building capacity, raising public awareness, and promoting sustainable livelihood approaches at the national, regional, and local levels.

The project involves on-the-job training and the establishment of strategic partnerships with national and regional centers of excellence (e.g. the University of Sana’a and the University of Aden).

Objectives: 

• Strengthen the performance of environmental protection and national poverty alleviation policies;
• Build the capacity of central and local level institutions to integrate environmental issues into the district development process;
• Enhance awareness at the local and policy making levels; and
• Establish protected areas (PAs) and promote sustainable livelihood approaches in natural resource management (NRM).

Key Activities:

• Build the capacities of environmental agencies;
• Develop or update environmental legislation and frameworks and develop environmental policy;
• Enhance information management in the EPA;
• Increase environmental education and public awareness of environmental issues;
• Strengthen PA management and promote livelihood approaches in NRM.

Key Achievements: 

• Developed National Sustainable Environmental Strategy and Status of Environment Report, updated environmental law and formulated executive by-law;
• Prepared EPA organizational structures and staff job descriptions for all management levels;
• Developed and launched EPA website (Arabic);
• Launched awareness events for target groups and established 33 environmental clubs in schools;
• Established PAs in Gabal Bura and Aden Wetlands and trained local community members and national staff on PA management;
• Completed flora and bird inventories for Bura and Aden wetlands and prepared Yemen’s red list of endangered species;
• Prepared community-based management plans for Bura and Aden Wetlands;
• Established functional environmental NGOs in Aden wetlands;
• Provided technical support and training to NGOs in Hwaf and Aden;
• Established three operational plant nurseries in Bura, Aden wetlands and Hawf; and
• Introduced a pilot project for the use of grey water from Mosques to irrigate street islands in Aden.

 Evaluation: Evaluation scheduled for January 2008.