Sana'a Basin Water Management Project

The Bank intervention is an Adaptable Program Lending (APL) operation, over 15 years, to be implemented in three phases. The Program Objective is to seek long-term solutions and promote sustainable groundwater management in the Sana'a Basin. Ultimately, given the recharge of the deep aquifer is very limited, the key goal is to extend the life span of the aquifer through reductions in groundwater abstractions through irrigation efficiency improvements.The first five-year phase of the Project is planned to assist Yemen in (i) increasing the efficiency of agricultural water use within the Sana'a Basin; and (ii) accelerating aquifer recharge to allow for a gradual shift to a less water-based rural economy. The objectives will be attained through implementation of the following key components (i) demand management and irrigation improvement; (ii) supply management and recharge improvement; (iii) institutional development and capacity building (improving the analytical data base for water resources management); (iv) information and public awareness; (v) environmental management and mitigation program; (vi) project management and monitoring; and (vii) follow-on-project preparation.