Through the Swedish-funded Supporting Resilient Smallholder Farming systems in Somalia project, FAO is working to enhance food and nutrition security and smallholder income, therefore improving the resilience of communities to threats and crises in Hirshabelle and Southwest states. Within the rainfed and riverine areas, the project is supporting 24 farming cooperatives (10 in Jowhar and 14 in Beledweyne), of up to 250 smallholder farmers in each group. These cooperatives provide farmers the opportunity to move beyond subsistence farming with access to high quality inputs, extension services and links to high value market actors. By aggregating their supply and production needs, these farmer groups can achieve the economies of scale needed to access more profitable markets. When properly equipped and managed, farmer groups act as shock absorbers in times of crisis – through savings schemes, pooled resources and other support mechanisms.