Promoting of agricultural production, marketing and quality assurance in Somalia

Context

Agriculture drives Somalia’s economy, contributing over 70 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), 80 per cent of employment, and 50 per cent of exports. However, farmers face significant challenges that hinder productivity. Limited knowledge and poor access to resources prevent the adoption of modern practices, while low-quality inputs and inadequate production methods reduce yields. Climate change worsens these issues, with droughts, heavy rainfall, and locust infestations severely impacting crops. These challenges leave food demand unmet, highlighting the need to improve local fruit and vegetable production as well as marketing to enhance food security and economic growth.

Objective

Production and marketing systems for selected high-quality agricultural products have improved, ensuring better quality.

Approach

The project operates in Odwayne District in the Daadmadhedh Region of Somaliland, Burtinle District in the Nugaal Region of Puntland, and at quality assurance institutions in both Mogadishu and Hargeisa.
It focuses on three main areas:

• Training farmers, women, youth, and government institutions in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), post-harvest loss reduction, and marketing.
• Developing a curriculum on business planning, financial management, budgeting, and record-keeping while forming marketing groups to enhance collective bargaining.
• Improving regulations, infrastructure, and technology while fostering collaboration among government agencies, private entities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and regulatory authorities.

Last update: February 2025