FAO - FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION
Within the UN System, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development, works towards the alleviation of poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security.
Link to www.fao.org
FAO in Emergencies
FAO�s Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division (TCE) responds to needs for emergency assistance in the agricultural, livestock and fisheries sectors in developing countries affected by exceptional natural or conflict-related disasters. TCE�s emergency assistance covers a wide number of activities related to the urgent rehabilitation of agricultural, livestock and fisheries production in disaster-stricken areas. TCE also formulates policies and programmes in support of the transition from emergency relief to rehabilitation and development in the food and agriculture sectors.
Find out more at www.fao.org/reliefoperations
FAO in Somalia
Food Security and Nutrition Information
FAO provides regular updates on the food security and nutrition situation throughout Somalia to the international and Somali communities, through the Food Security Assessment Unit. A network of field staff monitors a range of indicators including crop production, rainfall, market information, livestock and pasture condition, and abnormal livestock movements. Assessment of nutritional status is undertaken by surveillance through Maternal Child Health (MCH) Centres and nutrition surveys.
Water and Land Information
Good quality data is widely recognised as crucial to rehabilitation and development initiatives and to efforts to mitigate natural disasters such as droughts and floods. The long term aim of the FAO water and land information management system is to compile and make available scientifically accurate information about water and land resources. This activity is still in the early stages but it is expected to provide
-
Flood early warning system for the Juba and Shabelle rivers
-
Baseline on water and land resources information in southern Somalia
-
Access to a user-friendly water and land information system
Livestock
Livestock is the backbone of the Somali economy. During the past two decades a large trade from Somali to the Gulf States had been built up (approx 4 million head per year), however the imposition of the ban on importation of livestock from the Horn of Africa due to the risk of Rift Valley Fever has severely curtailed this trade, affecting the livelihoods of livestock owners and those who depend on the trade for their income.
FAO, jointly with UNDP, is leading the efforts to foster dialogue between the importing countries of the Gulf and Somalia. Other activities include providing capacity building support to the industry in terms of livestock trade regulations and certification issues and support to the development of a national livestock authority.
Agriculture
Many people in southern Somalia rely on agricultural activities for their food needs. A recent study of the seed sector in southern Somalia suggests that access to seeds by farmers maybe a greater problem than availability of seed. FAO trailed a seed voucher/local seed market scheme in Bakol Region for the 2002 long rains or Gu season to improve access for farmers affected by several years of drought.
Vegetable seeds have been provided to interested farmers in Bakol Region.
For further information on any of these activities, please contact Alison Maccoll, amaccoll@faonairobi.or.ke |
