Supporting Resilient Livelihoods, Food Security and Climate Adaptation in Yemen, Joint Programme (ERRY III)

Yemen faces a complex crisis reflecting the triple nexus of humanitarian, development and peacebuilding needs. Communities are subject to ongoing conflict and live under fragile peace and in dire humanitarian need. They are subject to both the loss of development gains and to severe environmental and climatic risks.

The protracted conflict in Yemen has not only caused widespread damage and displacement but also significantly reduced livelihoods opportunities and food security. Weaknesses within community institutions and local authority has eroded the social contract between them, whilst marginalisation of communities further limits access to services and social cohesion. Local and community institutions are under-resourced and under-capacitated, which limits access to basic services. Exposure to environmental stressors exacerbates the existing precarious situation and requires risk reduction strategies to mitigate the potential for further disaster. The combination of these hardships not only leads to increasing vulnerability nearing famine, but also further weakens social cohesion and leads to inter-communital conflict. Additionally, income generating activities, small businesses, and both formal and informal employment opportunities continue to be profoundly impacted by the conflict, as well as the impact of Covid-19.

• Community institutions are strengthened and their capacity developed around the following focus areas: Gender-sensitive resilience planning, conflict resolution, and social cohesion.
• Vulnerable communities benefit from equal access to clean energy solutions, environmental protection, and climate adaptive capacity in a sustainable manner.
• Sustainable livelihoods of women and men are created through improved production, food security, and income opportunities.

Considering the social and cultural barriers rural women face in Yemen, the ERRY III activities focus on strengthening women's economic empowerment, including women at all stages of implementation and addressing the specific needs of and opportunities for women.

ILO’s interventions are linked to the three main objectives described above and their specific focus covers the following pathways and themes:

• Cooperatives empowerment: strengthening the capacity of cooperatives societies’ members in selected value chains and institutionalizing the capacity-building tools and supporting an enabling environment for cooperatives’ ecosystem by conducting an initial analysis in terms of policy and institutional framework.
• Value chain development: Developing selected agricultural value chains to improve productivity and food security, increase incomes and create decent job opportunities for women and men, which leads to strengthened management of small enterprises and farms in the agricultural sector.
• Business development services: Working with local actors to build the national capacity to institutionalize SIYB training package through organizing TOT and certified local trainers and master trainers to ensure sustainability
• Workplace based training and apprenticeship: ndertaking a market assessment of skills demand and identifying skills gaps and competencies gaps in existing occupation of selected value chains. In addition, the ILO aims at achieving increased access to the apprenticeship program for vulnerable youth and women and building the capacity of craftspeople in market demand-driven sectors to enhance and facilitate meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.
• Recognizing prior learning and promoting sustainable employment Introducing RPL and EIIP SOPs as new tools to improve programme implementation modality which help implementing partners to shift from CfW/FFA to EIIP scheme.

Achievements during the second phase of the project: (March 2019 - February 2022)

• 1,822 apprentices (41 % female) trained on life skills, financial literacy, and theoretical training in selected occupations followed by on-the-job training at businesses.
• 330 individuals trained to improve their employability skills in solar energy micro-enterprises.
• 955 master crafts-persons trained on learning methodologies, CBT/A, and OSH under the apprenticeship scheme.
• 10 Competency-Based Training curricula developed in high market demand sectors with potential for job creation.
• 1,500 toolkits distributed to the graduate apprentices to facilitate and enhance their employability.
• OSH material and equipment delivered to up to 950 service providers based on the organisational need.
• Updated and finalized the ILO training package “I own a small business,” targeting semi-iliterate beneficiaries.
• Conducted Training-of-Trainers for 68 trainers on ILO's “I own a small business”
• Up to 3,500 individuals benefited from Cash-for-Work activities through trainings by ILO trainers on ILO business training packages (My First Business and I own a small business).
• Needs assessment for cooperatives in agricultural sector was conducted in the target governorates.
• Adapted and finalized ILO cooperatives training packages (THINK COOP, START and My COOP) to better fit the Yemeni context.
• 35 local trainers trained on ILO’s cooperative training package (THINK COOP & START COOP)
• 207 farmers & agriculture producing group members trained on cooperatives; 35 local trainers trained on ILO cooperative training package (THINK COOP & START COOP).
• 370 rural women farmers trained on entrepreneurship skills
• 15 participants trained online on “business continuity planning and resilience”.
Achievements during the first phase of the project: (January 2016 - February 2019)
• The capacity of 53 national trainers strengthened and, in turn, national trainers trained 2,693 beneficiaries with ILO's “My First Business,” (MFB) and “I Too Have a Small Business” training modules.
• 600 vulnerable youth and women (44.6 % female) were trained on upgraded informal apprenticeship in 11 priority occupations.
• 11 Competency Based Training curricula developed, implemented as part of upgraded informal apprenticeship programmes, and integrated into the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training as national curricula.
• 298 master crafts-persons (31% female) trained in learner-centred pedagogy, CBT and assessment, and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).
• OSH material and equipment delivered to 300 service-providers based on the organisational need.
• 300 toolkits distributed to the graduate apprentices to facilitate and enhance their employability.