The Politics of Qat

How one plant explains Yemen's dysfunction.

BY PEER GATTER | FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Above, a qat merchant in the highland village of al-Jabin shows off his merchandise. For qat connoisseurs, the choice of the right leaves is an art comparable to the selection of a good wine. Each strain of qat has its own characteristics. There is Sawti qat, to chase away fatigue. Pricey Hamdani qat is gentle and won't produce a headache the next morning. "Wedding night" qat can help one perform one's marital duties, while a potent strain from the Dhamar area dubbed "qat Saddam Hussein" is said to produce strength. The qat merchant above is holding Raymi qat grown in Raymah governorate.

Peer Gatter/The Politics of Qat

 

Peer Gatter is a political scientist and Middle Eastern and Islamic studies scholar who served as an advisor to Yemen's Ministry of Planning and Water during the 2000s for the U.N. Development Program and the World Bank. In 2002, he organized Yemen's "First National Conference on Qat." He is the author of Politics of Qat -- The Role of a Drug in Ruling Yemen.