In the sprawling and untamed landscapes of Somalia, livestock isn’t just a commodity—it’s the lifeblood of the economy. Picture this: a whopping 70% of the country’s exports are tied to camels, goats, cattle, and sheep. It’s a pastoral symphony harmonized around the rhythm of animal trade. But as serene as it sounds, this melodious arrangement hit a discordant note in 2023, when nearly $1 billion flowed primarily into Saudi Arabia’s coffers from Somali livestock exports. However, this paradise of pastoral profits faces a potentially catastrophic crescendo—a ban looms that could leave pastoralist communities, who shepherd their four-legged charges with the devotion of a knight guarding a king, in economic limbo.
Attempts to secure a statement from Mogadishu about this impending ban might feel like trying to squeeze water from a stone. Silent as the Sphinx, they’ve left many pondering their next move. Will the powers that be play the role of heroes in this unfolding drama? Or will pastoralists face the music alone?
Meanwhile, the tentacles of trade restrictions stretch far beyond East Africa, entangling Asian and European nations like Germany and Bulgaria, and snaking down to the streets of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The villain in this global saga? A treacherously contagious villain named foot-and-mouth disease. This viral fiend puts a spanner in the works of productivity, unsettling trade and putting livelihoods on edge, much like the town crier in a sleepy hamlet spreading news of an impending storm.
The recent flutter of outbreaks in areas like the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia has set alarm bells ringing worldwide. Professionals in the livestock sector—armed with their stethoscopes and thermometers—are scrambling for solutions. Huddled over laptops, they attend virtual gatherings organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), sharing battle strategies on disease management and control as if engaging in a digital war council.
Somalia, however, isn’t just a passive bystander in this disease drama. Picture August 2023—a month that unfolded a chilling tale titled “Jadeeco Madow,” or in local whispers, “Ku Habso.” Two regions in the north, Mudug and Galgaduud, watched as the disease unfurled its dark wings, an uninvited guest from neighboring Ethiopia. The animals, usually a picture of health, turned into lethargic shadows. Fevers ran high, nasal discharges were as common as dust in the air, and death usually claimed its victims within a week, akin to a thief stealing precious belongings under the cover of night.
To highlight the gravity of the situation, enter Dr. Suleiman Mohamed Salah. As Director General of Galmudug’s Ministry of Livestock, his words sliced through the ambient buzz like a knife through butter. “Devastation,” he called it, advocating for formidable disease prevention measures that could stand as unyielding sentinels in Somalia’s livestock frontier.
Yet, diseases ain’t the only tempests besieging Somalia’s livestock sector. A recent storm has brewed over a decision with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. The government, taking a detour on the road of diplomacy, handed exclusive export rights to a foreign trader. Unsurprisingly, this move has ruffled feathers and incited uproar akin to a seagull’s cries at wind-tossed fishermen. Local exporters and nearly 100 members of the Federal Parliament have waved the red flag, expressing disdain for what they perceive as economic betrayal.
The lawmakers fired their warnings with precision, demanding the government’s decision be retracted faster than last night’s dinner at dawn. They cast it as a double-edged sword that not only undermines domestic traders but also concentrates control over a critical economic artery. And underpinning their righteous indignation was a clear threat of action, a nod to the brewing storm of unrest.
This intricate tapestry of challenges—spanning diseases of biblical proportions and policy blunders awe-inspiring in their audacity—leaves Somalia at a crossroads. One can’t help but wonder: What lies around the corner for the livestock stalwarts holding Somalia’s economic reins in their hands? Will strategic interventions write a happy chapter in this unfolding story, or will missteps unravel it into a cautionary tale?
Report By Axadle
