State of the Agriculture in Somalia and Possible Future Intervention Strategies

Presented To: Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa

Washington DC, April 29, 2010

State of the Agriculture in Somalia and Possible Future Intervention Strategies

Overview

About SATG Goals Mission Membership Activities

Overview

• Current State South Central Somaliland Puntland

• About SATG Goals Mission Membership

Overview

• Current State South Central Somaliland Puntland

• Future Strategies Public private Partnership

• About SATG Goals Mission Membership

• A registered non-profit association of Somali professionals and friends of the country

• Dedicated to assisting in the reconstruction of Somalia and its agricultural heritage

About SATG

• To strive for peace and prosperity through sustainable agricultural development

SATG Mission

Crop improvement and biotechnology Crop production, protection and soil management Farming systems and technology transfer Water resource management Animal and food science Livestock, environment and agro-forestry Agriculture engineering, economics and policies

About SATGMembership

Multidisciplinary team consisting of highly qualified and experienced professionals

I. Documentation of historic information on plant genetic resources in Somalia

II. Introduction and evaluation of improved varieties

Activities

III. Phosphorous (P) intervention. P was identified as the single most important factor limiting crop production in dryland agriculture of the Bay Region

Activities

ActivitiesIV. Seed Multiplication

ActivitiesV. Post harvest Losses

Traditional grain storage system Introduction of new technology

VI. Training of Trainers Seed intervention Trials and demo plots IPM Crop management practices Post harvest and storage

losses

Activities

ActivitiesVII. Monitoring and Evaluation

State of Agriculture in Somalia

State of Agriculture in Somalia

1. Past Public Institutions

Academic Institutions Research Extension Seed multiplication Regulations and policies

Private Institutions Agro dealers

Public private partnership Banana project

Agriculture Development programs-Public Agriculture development

Corporation (ADC) Rice project BRADP-sorghum Sugar Cane Project Cotton Fruits and vegetables North West Agriculture

Development Project

State of Agriculture in Somalia

• Dominated by INGO’s– FAO– CINS– CEFA– AGROSPHERE– CONCERN– SAVE THE CHILDREN– GTZ– CARE– Horn Relief

2. Present-since 1990

Nairobi, Kenya

State of Agriculture in Somalia

Limitations• Remotely present• Short-term and lack of support for long-term

programs• Staff turn over and loss of institutional

memory• lack of sustainability agriculture interventions• Lack of experienced professionals and

effective coordination mechanism

State of Agriculture in Somalia

Activities• Seeds, inputs and tools distribution• Rehabilitation of canals and construction of shallow

wells• Post harvest and storage losses • Training-Farmer Field School• Livestock-vaccination and trade• Develop market strategies• Formation of Farmers’ associations• Cash for work

State of Agriculture in Somalia

Production ConstraintsProduction Constraints• Drought• Diseases and insects• Lack of quality seed and inputs• Poor management practices• Poor infrastructure• Lack of agriculture services • Lack of marketing system• Lack of storage and processing facilities

State of Agriculture in SomaliaInsects and Diseases

Agriculture System in Somalia

• Status quo until peace, security and a working government are restored.

• A move towards sustainable agriculture development irrespective to the current conditions on the ground. How?

3. Future

Agriculture System in Somalia

Who are the stakeholders? Farmers, commercial buyers, consumers, input

suppliers, seed producers, International NGOs, TFGWhat type of technical support is available?

• CG Centre• SATG • Regional research Centres• Academic institutions-regional and international

What kind of resources are available on the ground?

• Local NGO’s (South central, Puntland and Somaliland)• Somali Universities (South central, Puntland and Somaliland)

Future

Agriculture System in Somalia

• Seed intervention – Technical support group (SATG, CG centres and

academic institutions)– Evaluation team (existing universities in South

Central, Somaliland and Puntland)– Technology transfer (NGO’s)– Seed multiplication (formation of seed growers)– Seed certification (SATG in collaboration with CG

centres)

Future-a practical example

Agriculture System in Somalia

• Agriculture – Sesame– Lemon

• Telecommunication• Airline industry• Banking system• Community supported academic institutions

Success Stories

Being exported to middle Eastern Countries

Thanks

“The future belongs to those who plan today”