Background

The humanitarian crisis in Somalia has escalated at an alarming rate. Malnutrition in most of southern and central Somalia has surpassed emergency thresholds of 15 percent, exceeding 20 percent in some areas. More than 3.2 million Somalis are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Civil insecurity has intensified in terms of killings, violence, human rights abuses and population displacement. Humanitarian workers have also been targeted more frequently, particularly in central and southern Somalia, as well as in Puntland. Between January and September 2008, 129 security incidents were reported involving humanitarian workers and assets. Piracy also affects critical supply routes to central and southern Somalia.

The country’s dependence on imported commodities, combined with the high devaluation of the Somali Shilling and soaring prices, has created an economic crisis. Furthermore, the country suffers from recurrent drought and floods. Production shortfalls in Middle and Lower Shabeelle, resulting from the drought in 2008, are affecting other regions which normally depend on the area’s cereal surplus. In the north, where malnutrition rates are generally low, there is an emerging crisis as pastoralists struggle to cope with decreased rainfall, deteriorated water and pasture conditions and higher commodity prices. With approximately 80 percent of the Somali population dependent on agricultural or pastoral livelihoods, rehabilitation of the agriculture sector is key to the overall recovery process.

FAO’s emergency role in Somalia

FAO Somalia office is located in Nairobi, Kenya, as a result of security restrictions in Somalia. Actions are implemented in partnership with national and international NGOs. FAO has a lead role in the coordination and monitoring of humanitarian interventions in Somalia’s agriculture sector, in addition to providing stakeholders with high quality up-to-date information on food security, nutrition and natural resources.

The key objectives of FAO’s emergency programme in Somalia are to:

• strengthen and diversify sustainable livelihoods to prevent households from sliding into humanitarian emergency;
• provide and protect assets at household and community levels to improve livestock and crop production; and
• strengthen community capacity to mitigate the impact of soaring food and basic commodity prices and to cope with current and future shocks.

FAO is currently implementing 26 projects worth USD 50.6 million, with an annual delivery of USD 17-20 million. Under the Consolidated Appeal Process, FAO has submitted six funding proposals for 2009 for a total of USD 21 million.