DOI Artikel:
Varisco, Daniel Martin: The ard in Highland Yemeni agriculture
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0166
THE ARD IN HIGHLAND YEMENI
AGRICULTURE
By
Daniel Martin Varisco
To the Arabs the southwestern corner of the
Arabian peninsula has long been known as
al-Yaman al khadra’1 or the verdant Yemen.
Until the twentieth century the land of
Yemen was a virtual terra incognita to the
Western world. Those few travellers who
penetrated into the highlands of Yemen de-
scribed an elaborate system of terracing and
agricultural variety. “In the province of
Yemen,” commented the eighteenth century
explorer Carsten Niebuhr (vol. II, p. 289),
“agriculture seems to be further advanced
than in other parts of the East.” Indeed,
there is a rich tradition of Yemeni agriculture
which survives to the present. In this article
the ard and traditional ard cultivation in the
Yemeni highlands will be studied. The focus
will be on the highland valley of al-Ahjur,
located about 45 kilometers northwest of the
capital city of San'a’ (fig. 1) (Varisco 1982).2
Agricultural Context. The majestic highland
valley of al-Ahjur roughly four km wide at
its northern arc and nine km long, is sur-
rounded by steep mountain plateaus. Drain-
age flows to the southwest, where water
merges to form one of the headwaters of the
major water course, Wadi Surdud. At the
northern arc of the valley is a line of springs
at about 2600 metres elevation. There are
several major springs of up to 10 litres per
second flow, as well as numerous localized
seepages. Water from the springs is collected
in cisterns and distributed into a channel
network cascading through the terraces. Wa-
ter is allocated according to an established
rotation schedule with a minimum of con-
flict over water rights. A turn in the rotation
cycle may be measured according to a timed
period of flow from the cistern or a certain
amount of the volume of water in a cistern.
Each irrigator is responsible for appropriat-
ing water at the established time. No official
is present to oversee the distribution process
on a day-to-day basis.
Irrigation by spring flow (ghayl in Arabic)
is the most significant agricultural strategy in
the valley. In the central part of the valley,
where spring flow does not reach, and on the
surrounding mountain plateaus there is ex-
tensive dry farming on what is locally called
‘aqar land. The distinction between ghayl
land and ‘aqar land is crucial to understand-
ing agriculture in the region. Ghayl land can
be used for lucrative cash crops, especially
qdt (Catha edulis),2’ coffee, and tomatoes.
The main irrigated crop in al-Ahjur has al-
ways been sorghum (dhurai), which meets
local subsistence needs and provides fodder
for regional marketing. A few crops with
high water requirements, such as lucerne
(qadb) and a variety of vegetables, can only
be grown on ghayl land. On the rainfed ‘aqar
terraces the emphasis is on subsistence
crops. Some sorghum is cultivated, but it has
virtually no fodder value. Wheat and barley
AGRICULTURE
By
Daniel Martin Varisco
To the Arabs the southwestern corner of the
Arabian peninsula has long been known as
al-Yaman al khadra’1 or the verdant Yemen.
Until the twentieth century the land of
Yemen was a virtual terra incognita to the
Western world. Those few travellers who
penetrated into the highlands of Yemen de-
scribed an elaborate system of terracing and
agricultural variety. “In the province of
Yemen,” commented the eighteenth century
explorer Carsten Niebuhr (vol. II, p. 289),
“agriculture seems to be further advanced
than in other parts of the East.” Indeed,
there is a rich tradition of Yemeni agriculture
which survives to the present. In this article
the ard and traditional ard cultivation in the
Yemeni highlands will be studied. The focus
will be on the highland valley of al-Ahjur,
located about 45 kilometers northwest of the
capital city of San'a’ (fig. 1) (Varisco 1982).2
Agricultural Context. The majestic highland
valley of al-Ahjur roughly four km wide at
its northern arc and nine km long, is sur-
rounded by steep mountain plateaus. Drain-
age flows to the southwest, where water
merges to form one of the headwaters of the
major water course, Wadi Surdud. At the
northern arc of the valley is a line of springs
at about 2600 metres elevation. There are
several major springs of up to 10 litres per
second flow, as well as numerous localized
seepages. Water from the springs is collected
in cisterns and distributed into a channel
network cascading through the terraces. Wa-
ter is allocated according to an established
rotation schedule with a minimum of con-
flict over water rights. A turn in the rotation
cycle may be measured according to a timed
period of flow from the cistern or a certain
amount of the volume of water in a cistern.
Each irrigator is responsible for appropriat-
ing water at the established time. No official
is present to oversee the distribution process
on a day-to-day basis.
Irrigation by spring flow (ghayl in Arabic)
is the most significant agricultural strategy in
the valley. In the central part of the valley,
where spring flow does not reach, and on the
surrounding mountain plateaus there is ex-
tensive dry farming on what is locally called
‘aqar land. The distinction between ghayl
land and ‘aqar land is crucial to understand-
ing agriculture in the region. Ghayl land can
be used for lucrative cash crops, especially
qdt (Catha edulis),2’ coffee, and tomatoes.
The main irrigated crop in al-Ahjur has al-
ways been sorghum (dhurai), which meets
local subsistence needs and provides fodder
for regional marketing. A few crops with
high water requirements, such as lucerne
(qadb) and a variety of vegetables, can only
be grown on ghayl land. On the rainfed ‘aqar
terraces the emphasis is on subsistence
crops. Some sorghum is cultivated, but it has
virtually no fodder value. Wheat and barley