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Drought stricken households receive agriculture inputs to resume production

For five consecutive seasons, Somalia faced a devastating drought which caused widespread food insecurity, forcing many farmers to abandon their land. In response to this, with support from Sweden, FAO supported 1,200 drought-stricken farming households in Bulo Burte district with inputs which include maize, mung bean, cowpea and vegetable seeds as well as farm tools and hermetic storage bags. The district was selected based on the most recent food security and nutrition analysis that found a high population of households in IPC 3, 4, and 5 (indicating acute food insecurity and even famine risk). 

The agriculture inputs enable vulnerable households to restore their food security by helping them to resume production and feed their households. “The inputs from FAO have made a significant impact in our community, where we now cultivate crops and hope to achieve long-term success,” said Saciido Omar, a rural farmer who benefitted from the project.  "Besides my children, many relatives live with me in this house.” Saciido's family lost their livestock and crops during the drought where they were later affected by the floods after the rains came. They were forced to flee their home and live in the highlands. “We had to flee our farms due to the drought and later the floods when the rains came,” she said. 

FAO ensured that the agricultural inputs reached the right people through a verification system based on mobile phone SIM card records, and by helping agricultural traders to install facial recognition apps on their tablets. A feedback and complaints hotline helped ensure transparency and accountability. 

Muhumed Sheikh is another beneficiary from the district who was supported through the project.  Five seasons of punishing drought dried up the river and shrivelled crops on his farm in the east of Jamao Mubarak, where he lives with his 15 family members, and another five relatives. Then the rains came and floods swept away harvests, ruined rain-fed irrigation channels, and forced families to wade to safety through waters infested with crocodiles and other wild animals. “When the drought hit, everyone adapted in different ways,” said Muhumed. “Some started to gather and sell firewood, others laboured on neighbours’ fields for money, and still others live off assistance from relatives.” 

The project is having a positive impact on the lives of farmers in Bulo Burto district. The seeds and tools are helping farmers to plant crops. “As a farmer, the assistance has been beneficial. We were given seeds for maize, beans, and vegetable crops as well as agricultural equipment. We value the support greatly since we lost everything during the drought,” said Muhumed. 

FAO is working with the government of Somalia and other partners to develop long-term solutions to the challenges facing farmers in Somalia as a result of climate change. FAO aims to build resilience and improve food security for rural farmers like Saciido and Muhumed to enable them to withstand and recover from increasingly frequent climate shocks. “By improving food security, empowering marginalized groups, and implementing accountable and inclusive approaches, the intervention aimed to alleviate the suffering and build resilience within the affected communities, said Lenin Gradiz, FAO Somalia Emergency Coordination Specialist.