Charcoal production in Somalia presents a complex set of challenges, including environmental degradation, ongoing conflicts, and a reliance on unsustainable income sources. These challenges can be categorized into five main areas: environmental unsustainability, political instability, regional demand exceeding supply, widespread poverty, and an imbalanced energy mix. To address these issues, the FAO-led project aims to create an enabling policy environment for energy security and natural resource management by mobilizing key stakeholders and building institutional capacity within the Somali government. The project will also promote alternative energy resources and support stakeholders in the charcoal value chain to transition to more sustainable and profitable livelihoods. Additionally, it will initiate reforestation and afforestation efforts to rehabilitate degraded lands. The project's ultimate goal is to revitalize and expand the Somali economy, focusing on livelihood enhancement, employment generation, and inclusive growth. It seeks to promote sustainable natural resource management through the development of legal and regulatory frameworks and capacity-building in key Natural Resources Management (NRM) institutions.

Data on charcoal production and export in Somalia is limited and lacks continuity. It is crucial to establish systematic reporting mechanisms, including information from police, customs records, and other sources, to monitor and curb illegal exports, especially with the withdrawal of Al-Shabaab from major ports. Remote sensing and geographical information systems will be employed to monitor charcoal production sites through satellite imagery. FAO SWALIM will lead this effort, using very high-resolution satellite images to identify and quantify tree cutting and charcoal production, thereby aiding in the formulation of environment policies, stakeholder mobilization, and institutional capacity building. Monitoring will also support the transition to sustainable livelihoods and reforestation efforts. FAO plays a lead role in coordinating and monitoring humanitarian interventions in Somalia's agriculture and livestock sectors, collecting and disseminating crucial information on food security, nutrition, and natural resources. It also leads the emergency-oriented Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Food Security Cluster, ensuring coordinated livelihood interventions. FAO's emergency interventions focus on prevention, mitigation, and response to natural disasters and conflict, with an emphasis on building back better.

The FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2014-2017 guides FAO's actions in Somalia. FAO will assist the government in controlling and managing charcoal exports by establishing a Monitoring System of Charcoal Production. Additionally, FAO participates in the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade Support Programme for African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries, facilitating the collection and dissemination of FLEGT-related information. FAO offers valuable data resources from various databases, including FAOSTAT, the Global Forest Resource Assessment database, and the Planted Forests Database.