STORY: Coffee festival held in Yemen to celebrate time-honored tradition
SHOOTING TIME: March 3, 2024
DATELINE: March 6, 2024
LENGTH: 0:03:30
LOCATION: Sanaa
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the festival
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMAD AL-AMRI, Visitor
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ADEL RSAM, Coffee trader
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): ADEL RSAM, Coffee trader

STORYLINE:

Yemen held its annual Sanaa Coffee Festival on Sunday, attracting coffee aficionados and industry professionals to celebrate the country's rich coffee heritage.
   
The festival serves as a vital platform for Yemeni coffee farmers, especially those from mountainous regions, to connect with market players and showcase the nation's prized beans, known for their subtle notes of cinnamon and chocolate.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MOHAMAD AL-AMRI, Visitor 
"The festival highlighted the profound historical connection between Yemen and coffee. The celebratory atmosphere resembled a national wedding, with people of all ages, men, women, and children, coming together to mark this momentous occasion - the national day of Yemeni coffee growing."
   
Yemen boasts centuries-old traditions of coffee cultivation.

Despite the ongoing conflict that has plagued the nation for nearly a decade, hindering coffee production, the festival witnessed a strong turnout. Industry stakeholders, including coffee companies, traders, and exporters, came together to support farmers and revitalize the trade.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ADEL RSAM, Coffee trader
"The fair encompassed the entire Yemeni coffee sector, from growers and cafes to corporations, showcasing a diverse range of products. This comprehensive display, coupled with effective marketing strategies, served as a powerful celebration of Yemeni coffee as a national product recognized worldwide."
   
However, the festival also shed light on the challenges faced by coffee producers, particularly those from border regions like Khawlan A'amer in Sadaa province, who have been displaced by the war and face logistical hurdles that have hampered exports and driven down prices.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): ADEL RSAM, Coffee trader
"Coffee growers, like myself in Khawlan A'amer, face immense war-related challenges. The conflict displaces farmers, damages land, and disrupts transportation, especially near borders like ours with Saudi Arabia."

Despite these difficulties, Yemen's specialty coffee, cultivated in highlands exceeding 1,800 meters, remains renowned for its complex aroma, a testament to the country's fertile soil and favorable microclimate that continues to produce exceptional beans.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Sanaa.
(XHTV)