The evaluation covers the work of FAO Somalia (FAOSO) from 2018 to 2022 to assess the overall contribution to FAO priority areas. Specifically, it focuses on:
- the relevance of the FAO programme in responding to needs and priorities in Somalia,
- FAO contributions to CPF priority areas
- organizational performance.
The evaluation is guided by five evaluation questions:
- Does the programme respond to the needs of the Somali people (especially vulnerable groups): is aligned with national and regional priorities; and does it leverage FAO’s comparative advantage?
- What are FAO contributions to results, under the outcomes identified in the Country Programming Framework (CPF)?
- To what extent has FAO promoted the principle of “leave no one behind”, mainstreaming inclusion and protection considerations across different groups, such as displaced persons, women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups?
- What factors have facilitated or hindered the achievement of results?
- What are the key learnings from the design and implementation of the country programme, in particular efforts related to the humanitarian–development–peace (HDP) nexus?
Overall, FAO is valued for its technical expertise, resources in productive sectors (agriculture, livestock, fisheries), and the data and analysis generated by Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) and Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM). The organization’s integrated response to the desert locust crisis exemplifies how FAO addressed an acute need in Somalia, aligned with its country strategic objectives. However, reliance on short-term funding limits FAO’s ability to transition to longer-term resilience solutions that address the root causes of crises. The area-based approach used in the Shabelle riverine, where FAO layered and sequenced projects funded by various resource partners illustrates how to respond to emergencies within a longer-term integrated approach, contributing to building adaptive resilience. This model serves as a critical catalyst for enhancing resilience understanding within the humanitarian–development–peace (HDP) nexus, creating more space for HDP nexus positioning in resource mobilization. The challenge now is for FAO to institutionalize this approach to enable broader replication and expansion as a foundation for holistic integrated programming. FAO Somalia’s organizational performance faced both internal and contextual challenges. Between 2018 and 2021, the Country Programming Framework (CPF) remained in draft, limiting its strategic utility. The endorsement of the CPF 2022–2025 under current management marks a positive shift, signaling promising changes, particularly in stakeholder engagement. Operational strains, partly due to significant reductions in funding for administrative and operational support services, indicate a need for greater understanding and support from FAO headquarters.
The evaluation makes eight key recommendations.
