Chapter
8:
Case
studies
in
Wadi
Siham
Chapter
8.
Case
studies
in
Wadi
Siham
Key
message:
•
Wadi
Siham
has
experienced
a
process
of
commoditization
of
agriculture
paralleled
by
social
differentiation
and
weakening
of
power
and
authority
of
traditional
local
leadership,
i.e.,
shaikhs;
•
The
Wadi
Siham
Improvement
Project
exacerbated
a
process
of
water
control
gradually
moving
upstream
and
concentrating
in
the
hands
of
investors
with
a
certain
social,
and
often
external,
status;
•
The
revolution
of
2011
weakened
both
traditional
and
governmental
authorities
even
more;
•
Both
formal
and
informal
conflict
resolution
mechanisms
are
increasingly
weakened,
ineffective,
and
corrupted;
•
Local
inhabitants
go
to
traditional
authorities
for
minor
disputes,
mostly
related
to
family
issues;
•
People
feel
they
are
increasingly
oppressed
by
a
system
of
sheer
corruption
in
which
local
elites,
external
powerful
actors,
and
governmental
officers
are
the
winners
in
the
control
over
water,
while
less
powerful
groups
are
left
with
no
means
to
fight
for
their
rights
and
solve
water
conflicts
to
their
benefit;
•
A
main
challenge
is
how
to
build
a
critical
mass
of
local
stakeholders
to
address
overdue
issues
on
water
distribution
and
ensure
the
representation
of
the
interest
of
the
least
powerful
in
this.
The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations
117
of
241