The proposed intervention by the FAO (OSRO/SOM/211/USA) aims to enhance food security for drought-affected populations in rural Somalia. They plan to extend their humanitarian assistance to 31 districts categorized as drought hotspots. This project will benefit 49,250 households (approximately 295,500 individuals) by providing essential food and livelihood support. 

The primary goal is to help these vulnerable communities access food and basic necessities, get back into production, or explore alternative livelihoods. The expected impact is the improvement of food security among the most drought-affected rural populations in Somalia. The desired outcome is to ensure that acutely food insecure households in various regions, including riverine, agro-pastoral, pastoral, coastal, and internally displaced persons (IDP) households in severely drought-affected areas with IPC 3+ classification, have immediate access to food. FAO's immediate objectives in this humanitarian effort are to increase food access through cash assistance, enhance food availability through production support, and prevent the decline of these factors during crises, particularly in lean seasons. They aim to provide humanitarian assistance according to technical standards and on a significant scale across Somalia while preventing the loss or forced sale of household assets, such as livestock and seed and grain stocks.

FAO's comparative advantage lies in its technical expertise, operational presence in challenging rural areas, and robust risk management and monitoring processes. These factors position FAO as a key player in delivering effective humanitarian assistance in Somalia.