Page 42 - AA 2025 Year Book Summary

Somalia

FAO and the Federal Government of Somalia

Launch ‘Ugbaad’, a Transformative Climate

Resilient Agriculture Project.

The seven-year project aims to en-
hance climate adaptation and resil-
ience for vulnerable communities in
Somalia.
The Food and Agriculture Organi-
zation of the United Nations (FAO),
in partnership with the Government
of Somalia and with financial support
from the Green Climate Fund (GCF),
has launched the Climate Resilient Ag-
riculture in Somalia (Ugbaad) project.
This groundbreaking initiative aims to
enhance climate resilience within So-
malia’s agricultural sector. Officially
approved by the GCF Board in Octo- secure resilient livelihoods, and build FAO Assistant Director-General
ber 2024, the project represents a sig- a sustainable future for all,” the Deputy and Regional Representative for Af-
nificant step in tackling the pressing Prime Minister stated. rica Abebe Haile-Gabriel highlighted
challenges posed by climate change, FAO’s role in supporting Somalia’s cli-
restoring productive landscapes, and The Ugbaad project’s multi-faceted
empowering vulnerable local commu- approach is designed to enhance eco- mate ambitions.
nities. logical resilience through landscape “The Ugbaad project exemplifies
restoration and sustainable manage- FAO’s commitment to working along-
Projected to benefit over 2.1 million
people, including 1.15 million direct re- ment; promoting climate-resilient ag- side governments to address the mul-
cipients, the Ugbaad project is poised ricultural practices, disseminate timely tifaceted challenges of climate change.
to transform Somalia’s agricultural climate information to communities, By combining technical expertise with
sector through locally led approaches improve water access for (agro)pasto- a focus on locally led adaptation efforts,
and strategic investments in climate- ralists, and build the capacity of federal we will ensure that farmers, agropasto-
resilient agriculture. In addition, 41 800 and state-level institutions to imple- ralists, and pastoralists in Somalia can
hectares of productive landscapes will ment policies for sustainable landscape thrive in the face of climate challenges,”
be restored to build sustainable liveli- management. he said. Somalia is vulnerable to climate
hoods in the target areas most vulner- UN Resident Coordinator for Somalia change, facing rising temperatures,
able to recurrent drought and floods. George Conway emphasized the UN’s erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods,
Speaking at the launch event, Soma- collective commitment to supporting which exacerbate food insecurity and
lia’s Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama Somalia’s climate resilience efforts. displacement. The agricultural sector
emphasized the Government’s com- “ The Ugbaad project illustrates how is the main economic activity for an es-
mitment to tackling climate change as targeted investments can improve live- timated 65 per cent of the population,
both a development challenge and an lihoods, restore ecosystems, and en- contributing about 75 per cent of the
opportunity. sure food security for the future. In line gross domestic product. The collab-
“Somalia is taking bold steps to en- with the UN Cooperation Framework orative spirit of the Ugbaad project will
sure climate resilience is at the heart and Somalia’s national priorities, we leverage partnerships and collabora-
of our national development agenda. are committed to working closely with tion and build on lessons learned from
Through the Ugbaad project, we are the government, FAO, and other part- previous initiatives and in alignment
integrating climate action into our Na- ners to make climate adaptation a key with Somalia’s National Transformation
tional Transformation Plan, creating focus of Somalia’s development agen- Plan, the UN Cooperation Framework,
opportunities to restore landscapes, da,” he noted. and the GCF’s Updated Strategic Plan.
40 Arab Agriculture 2025