Sweden invests in resilient rural communities in Somalia with an additional $ 2 million contribution to FAO – Somalia
Renewed funding from the Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Sida) will support ongoing efforts to build up the resilience of river farmers in the Jowhar Corridor by improving access to water and management to increase productivity.
The Swedish government’s rapid contribution to Somalia through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) of an additional $ 2 million allocated to the Building Resilience in Middle Shabelle (BRiMS) project has been welcomed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The measure will significantly increase the livelihoods of vulnerable people in the face of food crises by addressing some of the underlying vulnerabilities in the Middle Shabelle, within Somalia’s breadbasket. In light of the recent recurring droughts and floods, the main issue for the project is water: access to water, its sustainable management and its use for production.
“We appreciate this renewed and timely commitment from Sweden, which focuses on strengthening one of the key building blocks of the agricultural food system in the region,” said Somalia’s FAO Representative Etienne Peterschmitt. “The ongoing severe drought in the region shows that we – more than ever before – need to invest in resilient communities and, especially for the Middle Shabelle region, this means fair access to and sustainable water management,” he added.
Somalia is very vulnerable to recurring shocks, with colliding and cumulative effects. Droughts, rapid floods and floods, cyclones, locusts, disease outbreaks, conflicts and subsequent large-scale displacements have affected the country with increasing frequency since the 1990s. In the Jowhar Corridor, the periodic flooding of the Shabelle River basin causes the destruction of crops, villages, roads and large-scale human movement in places near the river. Most of the villages along the river are exposed to recurring floods during rainy seasons, which was witnessed in 2019 and 2020.
To protect the families living in and around the Jowhar cities, in the face of the coming rains, the project proposes a rapid closure of river breaking points and the strengthening of weak river banks. In these hard-to-reach areas, it is also important to help farmers organize themselves into collective farming groups. By aggregating local needs for inputs and production, agricultural groups create the economies of scale that strengthen their ability to access services and participate effectively in supply chains and markets. This is crucial in the Middle Shabelle, where insecurity and access restrictions can deter trade – especially on a small scale.
” Efficient and sustainable water management is the key to tackling cyclical and devastating droughts and floods that have serious and long-lasting effects on already vulnerable communities in Somalia. A strong coupling method that links short-term humanitarian efforts to long-term development and peace-building efforts is needed to address a number of the underlying causes. In addition, Sweden remains committed to working with the government and providing continued support to give communities the power to implement locally led solutions to recurring risks and crises, says the Swedish Ambassador to Somalia, Per Lindgärde.
Build resilience among river communities
The Sida-funded BRiMS project supports river farmers to restore irrigated crops and productivity in the Jowhar corridor. The areas were once among Somalia’s most productive agricultural areas but are now very vulnerable due to inadequate irrigation networks, exposure to recurring droughts and floods, insecurity and related access restrictions. The project will help increase agricultural production, improve and rehabilitate productive agricultural infrastructure and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI). The project also supports innovations and the use of technology in the development of information platforms. For example, a productive livelihood information platform, national market data for agricultural commodities and information networks, and training in related international best practices.
This intervention is expected to increase and strengthen resilience, make communities increasingly capable of managing floods and reduce the impact of floodplains on the local economy, agriculture and everyday life. It is an exemplary intervention that will bring significant and lasting benefits to river communities. By reducing their direct exposure to the destructive power of floods, rural families will be able to invest in long-term livelihoods without having to rebuild after recurring floods sweep away homes and livelihoods.
In Somalia, the FAO has a history of successful involvement in the actions proposed during the BRiMS project, within the Shabelle River Basin and beyond. Through BRiMS and similar efforts, and with continued support and commitment from international resource partners such as Sida, FAO will continue to work closely with communities and authorities at all levels to strengthen food systems and build a more resilient future for rural communities in Somalia.