Keeping Fishermen and Their Livelihoods Afloat

With Boat Repair Training in Yemen

“For the first time in Mayfa’ah, a unique Outboard Engine Maintenance training has been offered to fishermen. Thanks to USAID’s support, I can now repair the  engine while fishing in the sea, without having to incur all the losses associated with going to a repair shop in Al Mukalla.” — Fikri Bashreema, Fisherman

For Fikri Bashreema, running into engine problems on his small fishing boat used to mean big trouble. The closest repair shop was in Al Mukalla City, more than 130 miles away from his village in Mayfa’ah District. Traveling to Al Mukalla meant leaving his boat and fishing equipment unguarded, and spending money he could ill afford to secure a ride there and back again. The trip involved passing through time-consuming security checkpoints and, once he did make it to town, getting the engine fixed required further long waits because of backlogs at the repair shop. The time and money spent dealing with a broken engine, combined with the opportunity costs of not being able to continue catching and selling fish, could easily add up to a week or more of lost income.

Further to the east in Al Mahrah Governorate, fisherfolk were facing similar constraints. Their access to boat engine repairs was even more out of reach, leaving them to struggle with maintaining their engines as best they could, but without the needed skills or tools. When faced with a faulty engine, the Al Mahrah fisherfolk faced a hard choice between risking a breakdown at sea or giving up on fishing entirely, with few prospects of alternative employment.

Now, Mr. Bashreema and his fellow fisherfolk across Hadramawt and Al Mahrah governorates can stay afloat with much greater ease, both literally and figuratively, thanks to USAID-supported training and technical assistance. Through the USAID Economic Recovery and Livelihoods Program (ERLP), 100 fisherfolk received specialized training in four-stroke outboard motor maintenance and repair, adapted to the particularities of the modern imported models used in Yemen. The fisherfolk were taught the skills to conduct the basic maintenance and repairs needed to ensure they could take their boats out, and return, safely and efficiently.

“Thanks to USAID support, now fisherfolk, including myself, are saving transport expenses and we are no longer worried about the danger of going astray in the middle of the sea when our boats break down,” says fisherman Abdullah Bajirallah from Al Mahrah.

Mr. Bashreema echoes similar sentiments when he explains, “With this hands-on training experience, I can repair the outboard petrol, electricity, or cooling system while I am still out at sea, earning 20,000 to 30,000 YER [$80-120] in income from my catch.”

ERLP also recruited 20 technical school graduates from across Hadramawt, Al Mahrah, and Shabwah governorates for 30 days of on-the-job training in advanced boat engine repair. The skills they were taught equipped them to handle the vast majority of boat engine malfunctions, including both electric and petroleum powered systems, and to service and clean engine carburetors. The young technicians also received training and support to launch their own repair workshops, including startup gear such as spare parts for boat engines, spanners, and various tools.

The new repair shops fill a major gap in the fisheries sector and offer sustainable employment in areas where jobs are scarce. They are located in close proximity to boat landing sites, with some taking the form of a mobile business that visits the fishermen where they are to offer their services. To further the employment and livelihood benefits of these new businesses, the ERLP team provided a six-day on-the-job training to an additional 20 technical assistants from local communities. These aspiring repair people were trained to work side-by-side with the engine technicians, providing assistance such as performing fire checks on boat engines, filtering carburetors, using electronic measuring devices, and assembling or disassembling equipment.

The focus on boat engine maintenance and repair capacity is just one piece of USAID assistance to rebuild Yemen’s fisheries sector. Fishing is a major industry in Yemen thanks to rich stocks of highly prized fish and seafood off the country’s southern and western coasts. Although fighting has damaged fishing infrastructure and productivity, the sector remains crucial for boosting economic growth and stability in Yemen. It is the main source of livelihoods and food security in coastal communities, and is a major contributor to foreign exchange earnings for the country, second only to oil and gas in terms of exports.

USAID is providing assistance and support across the full fisheries spectrum — from the first catches to the final market sales — to address the wide range of bottlenecks constraining the industry’s growth and potential. Through ERLP, USAID  works with a wide range of value chain players (fisherfolk, fishing cooperatives/associations, processors, traders, factories, women’s fishery-related businesses, ice distributors, boat makers, and more) focusing on quality, efficiency, handling, marketing, and packaging. The project is supporting further product diversification and connecting sellers to much more lucrative markets within Yemen, the Gulf region, and beyond — targeting at least $12 million in export sales by 2023.

“To reap the full potential of Yemen’s fishing sector, we are taking a holistic approach across the full spectrum of players, whose roles are essential in ensuring a quality driven and competitive value chain. Ultimately, it will benefit macro-level exports, attracting foreign currency and investments, as well as micro-level sustainable advancements in the livelihoods of coastal communities and players across the fisheries value chain,” concludes Boutheina Lassadi, ERLP Fisheries Expert and Team Leader.

USAID’s Economic Recovery and Livelihoods Program (ERLP), addresses critical economic stabilization challenges in Yemen. At the macroeconomic level, it restores economic stability, enhances fiscal management, and increases international trade flows. At the microeconomic level, ERLP helps small producers create their own businesses, strengthens private sector performance and competitiveness, and creates jobs and new market linkages for sustainable livelihoods.