Hiiraan Online

MOGADISHU (HOL) - Close to 400,000 farmers are set to benefit from a $10 million climate adaptation investment project signed Tuesday between the government of Somalia and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The project which aims to help rural communities secure access to diminishing water supplies will focus on sustainable water management, expanded drought, and flood early-warning systems and more profitable livelihoods. More than 360,000 farmers will benefit from the project.

While co-signing the agreement, Deputy Prime Minister Mahid Gulaid said the project will be instrumental in building the foundation for Somalia to manage precious treatment.

“With the onset of climate change, our country is facing more frequent droughts and floods. Those living in rural regions are particularly vulnerable,” said Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid. “Under this new project, we will put in place the foundations for Somalia and its people to manage their precious water. This includes reforming national policies and systems; building knowledge and skills at the national, state and community level; and expanding climate-monitoring infrastructure and early-warning systems.”

Somalia experiences major climate-induced shocks every two to five years, with flooding, cyclones and particularly drought. These have contributed to the displacement of 2.6 million people across Somalia and increased competition for water and land to support animals and crops.

The project which will be implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Water and Energy will run for four years.

The project will establish Somalia’s first National Hydro-Meteorological and Monitoring Service, install automatic weather stations and monitoring equipment across the country and expand Somalia’s existing flood and drought forecasting and early warning tool (FRISC-DIGNIIN).