Director-General QU Dongyu

Bilateral meeting with the Minister for Livestock, Forestry and Range of Somalia – H.E. Hassan Hussein Mohamed

28/09/2023

Rome - Director-General QU Dongyu and His Excellency Hassan Hussein Mohamed, Minister for Livestock, Forestry and Range of the Federal Republic of Somalia met at the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, held at FAO headquarters from 25 - 27 September 2023, in Rome.

The Minister shared with the Director-General an update on the livestock sector in Somalia. He underlined the need to have sustainable livestock production with improved livestock feed and animal health management. He noted that currently the key obstacles facing the country included capacity development, high-quality fodder and production equipment to enhance sustainable production. The Minister emphasized the need for additional support to address the challenges of traditional grazing systems and seasonal pasture shortages through improved range land management.

The Director-General noted the challenges presented by the Minister and stressed the potential of Somalia, highlighting the livestock sector. He proceeded to share with the Minister the important role that farmer field schools can play in capacity development. The Director General also underlined that through the FAO Hand in Hand Initiative and improved agroforestry operations, with targeted investments, the sector can drive economic growth.

The two also discussed the key role Somalia can play in the International Year of Camelids 2024, being a key exporter of camelids, and the Director-General outlined some guidelines to improve the entire value chain of camelids.