The JOSP aims to bolster community resilience along the Shabelle River against climate upheavals. It intends to enhance water availability, cut down flood and drought risks, and rev up agricultural yields.
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“This initiative is set to grant water access to 368,887 individuals across five districts, lower flood menace for 1.5 million folks, and ease drought repercussions for 1.65 million people,” FAO divulged in a communique from Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, on Wednesday night.
FAO underscores that ramped-up local food production could rake in over 50 million U.S. dollars in production and earnings per season. Plus, it may slash yearly humanitarian aid costs by up to 36 million dollars as food security ramps up.
The endeavor is a joint operation between Somalia’s government, FAO, and its UN cohorts: International Organization for Migration, UN Settlement Program, UN Industrial Development Organization, and UN Environment Program.
Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama hailed JOSP as proof of cooperation’s might in sidestepping humanitarian crises and nudging Somalia toward a brighter tomorrow.
Jama emphasized the necessity of community ownership, stating the populace must grasp that the program is theirs, fostering a deep sense of responsibility is vital to its triumph.
“We need to shift the mindset that the canal is just a government scheme; people must see it as theirs. This initiative should open the door to fresh projects and show benefactors the immense potential of investing in Somalia,” he remarked.
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mohamed Abdi Hayir highlighted JOSP’s profound effect on areas by curbing upstream floods and delivering water to downstream locales.
