Qat farms in Yemen: Ecology, dangerous impacts and future promise

Qat (Catha edulis) is an ever green tree/shrub naturally growing in Abysssinian mountains as well as in the other countries of East Africa. It has been introduced to Yemen before the Islamic Era, nowadays it is widely cultivated in the mountains of Sanaa and Taiz. The dark green leaves of qat are chewed in fresh condition by more than 90% of Yemen people. These leaves contain alkaloids similar to cafffein having pleasurable and mildly stimulating effects. Qat is, thus, classified by WHO as a “drug of abuse”. The present study describes the ecological features, including the physical environment and floristic composition, of qat farms in 12 sites in the mountains of Taiz (3 sites) and Sanaa (9sites) having altitudes of 1450 m and 2440 m, respectively. The chemical constituents of qat's leaves collected from these mountains and the dangerous medicinal and socioeconomic impacts of qat's cultivation on the Yemen's people are described. A proposal that may help to control chewing and changing its cultivation from being harmful to be useful and profitable for Yemen's people is discussed.