UN Agencies Commit to Increasing Investments to Enhance Food Production in Somalia
On Wednesday, the United Nations pledged a helping hand to Somalia in a bid to ramp up investments in agriculture as part of its World Food Day celebration.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), hosted a gathering in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. The event spotlighted “food heroes” for their role in transforming the nation’s agricultural landscape, in line with the 2024 World Food Day theme: “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future: Leave No One Behind.”
FAO’s main man in Somalia, Etienne Peterschmitt, declared that FAO stands firmly behind the Somali government in ramping up production and fostering resilience to guarantee every individual’s right to food.
“Amid the surge of climate changes and swelling global populations, ensuring sustainable food production has never been more pressing,” Peterschmitt remarked during a statement in Mogadishu.
El-Khidir Daloum, WFP’s representative and the go-to guy in Somalia, noted the country teeters at a constant crossroads where climatic whims threaten both life and livelihood, delaying recovery processes.
“This is why WFP is riding hard on initiatives focused on embedding resilience and climate-smart systems in our strategy,” he explained. “Our mission: a sustainable and self-sufficient Somalia.”
Somalia has recently seen a string of punishing shocks—drowning floods and relentless dry spells—that have wiped away livelihoods, as per UN observations.
This year’s World Food Day arises while forecasters predict an 80% chance of La Niña, heralding a drought menace with less rain and searing heat.
According to the UN, a red-alert announcement followed the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. The findings? Between October and December, hunger woes are set to grip 4.4 million folks.
Somalia’s agriculture honcho, Mohamed Abdi Hayir, reassured of the government’s mission to make safe, nourishing food a reality for every Somali. “We are non-stop in our drive to bolster our agri-systems, promote green farming, and back our farmers,” he asserted.
The government’s game plan, powered by nationwide programs and solid alliances, zeroes in on boosting homegrown food production, fortifying defenses against nature’s tantrums, and charting a healthier, hunger-proof future for Somalia, the minister emphasized.
Officially, World Food Day lands on October 16 every year, uniting hearts and minds to push forward the noble pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 2: zero hunger.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
