Patron Joanna Lumley OBE

Somalia/Somaliland

About 50% of the Somali population are believed to be nomadic pastoralists and another quater to be agro-pastoralists. In Somaliland, pastoralism is well recognised at governmental level and a National Co-ordination Body has been set up for pastoral development in the country.
However, there are many problems and challenges pastoralists in Somalia/Somaliland are facing. Lack of political stability, drought, and the the export ban of livestock to the Gulf Countries are putting a major constraints on pastoralist economies and livelihoods.

Ongoing/Recent Activities


Sustainable Employment & Economic Development (SEED) Project - 2011

While pastoralism remains the backbone of Somaliland’s economy, accounting for a large share of both employment and exports, pastoral livelihoods are coming under increasing strain. Factors include population growth (outstripping sluggish economic growth), recurrent and severe droughts, and the loss of vital grazing land. Youth unemployment is a particular problem. Political instability in the region and other factors deter investment and constrain economic growth. For pastoralist communities, economic diversification is one way of reducing vulnerability to drought. In this context, there are a number of things that external actors can do to support and kick-start local efforts.

The Sustainable Employment & Economic Development (SEED) Programme is funded by Britain’s Department for International Development through the International Labour Organisation (ILO). PENHA-Somaliland worked with ILO-Nairobi to design a program of activities aimed at promoting employment and enterprise. 

The project involves:

  • environmental rehabilitation work employing community members (cash for work)
  • value chain analysis and workshops bringing together market actor
  • a detailed market study, conducted in collaboration with Practical Action (Nairobi), covering the honey and fodder markets.
  • the provision of training, tools and hives for fodder production and beekeeping.
    The greater details of the programme can be downloaded by clicking here (38 kb) and a photo-essay of the digging of the canals can be downloaded here (363 kb).

    Women's Economic Empowerment Programme
    This project aims to empower women in pastoralist communities who are disadvantaged and living under difficult socio-economic conditions in arid and semi-arid areas. It is equipping women with business and production skills, and by promoting their access to rural finance providers (where these exist) as well as to their access to markets, it will help the beneficiaries to undertake new economic activites or expand existing ones and thereby increase their incomes. It is taking place in Uganda and Sudan in addition to Somaliland. The picture shows a group of women near a homestead near Riiga Village on the road to Salahey Town.

    Objectives

    1. To equip women with the skills and knowledge needed to undertake new enterprises
    2. To increase women's access to finance and markets
    3. To advocate for positive micro-finance policies vis-a-vis women in pastoral areas as well as equitable access to credit

    Activities

    This project started 2009, so the project is still in the initial stages. Following activities have been completed so far.

    1. Identifying project implementation sites and women groups
    2. Conducting action-oriented research: Mapping and obtaining data and information
    3. Completing a needs assessment
    A photo-essay which gives an idea of the situation of pastoralist women in Somaliland can be downloaded by clicking here (766 kb).

    Capacity Building for Patoralist Community Based and Non-Governmental Organisations

    Name of project: Baring Foundation Project
    Time frame: Nov 2001 - Nov 2004
    Funder: Baring Foundation
    Geographical areas of intervention: Sool, Erigavo and Sanaag regions, Somaliland Project:

    • establish and train pastoralist NGOs and CBOs
    • build the capacity of the emerging pastoralist CBOs and NGOs working at grassroot level to develop pastoralist capacities to participate in their own development
    • promote debate within Somaliland on the role of pastoralist economy (to acknowledge pastoralists as important stakeholders of the national and regional economies).

    Consultative Workshop for Pastoralists

    Previous PENHA Somaliland Activities:

    • Pastoarlist Need Assessments
    • Pastoralist and Rangeland Management Policy Development
    • Environmental Regeneration Programme
    • Pastoralist Poverty Allevation Programme (micro credit)
    • Capacity building for related local organisations
    • Relief delivery during drought (short-term)

    PENHA Somaliland Office

    PENHA-Somaliland
    P.O.Box 4630, Abu Dhabi
    Zip Code 124,
    Hargeisa, Somaliland

    Telephone +252 523938
    E-mail: penhasom@gmail.com

    Related Link:

    Somalia Net

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