To leverage ‘Water for Peace,’ we urgently need to fully understand the water governance systems, how resources are extracted, used, shared and replenished. Our experience in Yemen has shown glaring gaps between policy and the ultimate use of the precious commodity. Another gap is limited funding to replicate best water management practices which have been piloted and proven effective.

Such gaps threaten food security, human health, and security. At times human lives are lost when communities fight over the resource and 70 — 80 percent of conflicts in Yemen are over water.

Yemen has an unenviable water situation.

Yemen is the poorest countrv in the world in terms of water resources. The annual per capita share of water is a lowlv 83 cubic metres compared to the absolute threshold of 500 cubic metres. The agricultural sector accounts for about 90% of water use, most of it going to qat' growing

Across Yemen, groundwater is being depleted at twice the rate it is being replenished. Groundwater resources are being used randomIy. At the current extraction rate, by 2030, the water basins will be depleted. This will be catastrophic for a country where 70% of the rural community practice agriculture. The aqrifood svstems transformationagenda will be lost with the depletion of water resources in Yemen.

Climate change and rapid population growth have put additional pressure on Yemen's limited water resources. About 14.5 million people in Yemen are without access to safe drinking water and reliable sanitation facilities. Women bear the brunt of this water situation which not only affect their crop and livestock production but entails more labour and time is used to travel to collect, store, and distribute water.