Wednesday June 5, 2024
FILE - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met with Mohamed Abdi Hayir, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of the Federal Republic of Somalia, on the margins of the 33rd Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33) in Rabat on April 19, 2024.
MOGADISHU (Xinhua) -- Somalia and the UN agencies wrapped up a three-day meeting on Wednesday in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, committing to building resilient livelihoods and transforming agrifood systems.
The joint meeting of the Somali government, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Food Program (WFP) emphasized the importance of sustainable food systems in government actions to improve the lives of all Somalis.
"Achieving better life for all through sustainable investments in agricultural value chains is the key to ensuring food and nutrition security in Somalia," said Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mohamed Abdi Hayir in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
Hayir said that his ministry will continue to play an important role in carrying out its mandate by coordinating and collaborating with partners to provide effective and efficient services to Somali farmers.
The meeting on the joint resilience program was attended by several stakeholders, including senior government officials, farmer cooperatives, state government representatives and local partners, among others who were actively engaged in the project.
It brought together all project stakeholders to reflect on and draw key learnings from the implementation of this joint resilience action.
Ezana Kassa, head of program at FAO Somalia, highlighted the vital role of partnerships in building resilient livelihoods and transforming agrifood systems.
"Strong partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation at federal and state levels ensured the success of this joint resilience project in Somalia and is essential for creating efficient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems and strengthening smallholder farmers' resilience to climate change in Somalia," Kassa said.
The project enhanced the resilience of vulnerable farming households through a wholesome farm-to-folk approach and empowered 7,500 farmers and 30 cooperatives through innovative and climate smart agriculture production techniques.
WFP Country Director El-Khidir Daloum said working hand-in-hand with the Somali government at both federal and state levels and development agencies is crucial for boosting productivity and creating vital market linkages for smallholder farmers.
"These efforts, exemplified by the successful joint resilience project, are essential for developing sustainable food systems and strengthening Somalia's resilience to climate change. Such alliances drive immediate improvements and lay the groundwork for long-term stability and growth in Somalia," Daloum said.
The meeting was also attended by selected farmer cooperative project participants, who highlighted the positive changes the project had made for them. ■