Agriculture in Somalia

Agriculture in Somalia, [Af Soomaali: Beeraha Soomaaliya] is a major employment activity and is the largest economic sector in Somalia. Agriculture in Somalia contributes more than 50% to the national GDP earnings from its local consumption to exports to parts of Africa, Mideast and Europe.

Farming and Livestock in Somalia

For centuries, Somalia's fertile agriculture land and livestock productions were under-utilized and less developed compared to neighboring countries but during the mid twentieth century, export markets opened up for Somali agricultural products and live livestock shipments to exclusively Middle East Markets.

From 1960s onwards, shiploads of live camels, ship and goats were shipped off to markets in Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Arab countries for immediate meat during festivals. Berbera and Mogadishu ports were busy with ships carrying live animals off to the Middle East.

In Europe, Italy and other countries received bananas, mangoes, oranges and other citrus products from Somalia. Somali Fruit, a national corporation dealing with fruit export activities was setup in early 1970s and employed large number of people until the breakout of the civil war in early 1991. This corporation was so successful, it often sponsored sporting activities and other youth programs in the country for more than two decades.

Milk, butter and skin or hide are animal byproducts which the local consumption is greater than export earnings for the national economic output. Kismayo meat factory processed canned meat for export markets.

Agricultural Regions in Somalia

Gedo, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle and Hiran, are the regions which Juba River and Shabelle River pass through. These 6 regions contain the most active farming activities in Somalia. These six regions plus Bay region where its farms are located in high plateau areas, ideal for farming and with longer farming seasons as it is bit cooler than other regions in southern Somalia, produces large quantities of the grain in Somalia.

Bay region, due its climate and farming techniques inherited from well-funded major agricultural project in the 1980s named Bay Project by Siad Barre government, Bay region produces maize and sorghum quantities comparable to outputs from farms in Gedo, Lower Juba and Lower Shabelle.

Farming Expansion in Somalia

Somalia undertook well-documented farming expansion program which lasted for close to two decades. More than two dozen major farming projects including irrigation, new cotton farms, sugar refining factories and meat production facilities were initiated during the Crash Program and subsequent years.[1].

Aside from ordinary farming programs, Northern and Central Regions got major agricultural related programs, particularly rangelands developments in 1977 and 1979, respectively. Each family was given 200 to 300 hectares of grazing lands. 1974-78 national budget allocations called for 4.2% for livestock related developments. [2].

Bay region due to its mountainous nature, is home to some of the handful areas where fruits and vegetables which grow in cooler temperatures are farmed. During 1970s and 80s, there was a major agriculture expansion program in Somalia called, the Crash Program. The Agricultural Crash Program introduced by the central government in Somalia encouraged families and farming associations to own farming lands so that they government assistance and advice and technical help from farming experts.

Famous agricultural Crash Program in the 1970s and 80s helped farmers with seed banks, irrigation assistance, farmers' work skills and marketing activities. The country was bombarded with radio and TV programs highlighting the advantages getting into farming activities. For the first time, agricultural schools such Lofole Agricultural College an other schools, mainly vocational training located in Afgoi, Jowhar and Lafoole, were established during the 1970s and 80s.

New Factories and Employment Creation in the Agriculture Sector

Marerey Sugar Cane processing factory, cotton mills in Marka, banana and sesame fields in Jamame district all got major government investment schemes with great results in terms of employment for the locals and earning hard currency for the Somali Agricultural Sector.

The government radio stations broadcasted benefits of making living from the abundant natural resources from land and the sea. Fishing trawlers were secured from Soviet Union, Australia and Italy. A Marine and Fisheries College was established in Mogadishu, the capital.

By 1987, 16 farming districts in 7 regions got permanent grain storage facilities called locally, the ADC centers. Farming Associations didn't need to market their products hard. They sold their grain output at these facilities.[3]. Districts synamous with agriculture in Somalia include Afgoi, Jamame, Janale, Luq, Bardera, Dinsor, Bur Hakaba, Qoryoley, Jowhar, Beled Weyn and Aw Dinle.

Cash Crops

Farmers in the riverine communities across the length of the two rivers Juba and Shabelle supplement cash crop farming with their main earnings from grain production during the two rainy seasons of gu (April-June) and geyr (October-December). Irrigation water allows farming for quickly growing crops such as fruits, vegetables and animal fodder during farming off season or dry seasons. [4].

Juba Valley Ministry of Development

The government in Somalia created 1984 specialized agricultural development ministry to oversea agricultural activities in the fertile Juba Valley Region of Gedo, Middle and Lower Juba. With cash crop farming introductions and the potential to creating stable employment opportunities for the families rescued a decade ago from the northern droughts in 1974, the ministry was given a portfolio different from the ministry of agricultural.

Major development programs including Fanole Project, Munganbo Irrigation Project and Bardera Dam Project were all under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Juba Valley Development.

Links

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