Somalia’s Agriculture and Livestock Sectors: A Baseline Study — HIPS

Agriculture and livestock is the backbone of the Somali economy, contributing over 90% of the country’s total exports, 60% of its GDP and employing over 80% of its population

Since the late 1980s, Somalia has experienced armed conflict, violence and a series of natural and man-made disasters which resulted in a long, drawn-out and comprehensive state collapse.

With a population of 15.44 million in 2019 — Somalia is a young and rapidly expanding nation with an annual population growth of three percent. Despite having three times more livestock than people and an abundance of rich farmlands and rivers, 80% of Somalis live on or below the poverty line and half of the population relies on humanitarian aid to survive.

Major constraints in the agriculture and livestock sectors include skills gaps, limited use of technology and lack of access to markets.

Agriculture and livestock face multiple constraints which limit productivity and decrease efficiency, including unpredictable and extreme weather patterns, underdeveloped and fragmented markets, poor value addition and lack of access to quality inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and animal vaccines.

This baseline study seeks to understand skills development in the agriculture and livestock industry; the availability of existing training and whether it meets the needs of the marketplace; challenges affecting human capital development in agriculture; and the key assets and resources for skills development in the sector.

Dr. Hussein Haji of the Somali Agriculture Technical Group (SATG)

The Somali Agriculture Technical Group (SATG) developed tools for the study and briefed field enumerators prior to conducting consultations with stakeholders, including academic institutions (agriculture and livestock), students, federal and state ministries, the private sector, NGOs and professional associations.

About 176 employees of federal or state ministries of agriculture and livestock were interviewed. Of these, 157 (89%) are male and the remaining 11% are female.

According to the study, women play a prominent role in the agriculture sector through crop planting, weeding, threshing, cultivation, winnowing and marketing of agriculture commodities. However, over 80% of students and as well as Agriculture Ministry employees and university lecturers are male. Out of the 185 staff at the agriculture/animal science universities, only 3.8% are female.

Female enrolment in agriculture and veterinary sciences is also low (14%). Out of 176 employees working for Federal Government Somalia and Federal Member State ministries of agriculture and livestock, only 11% are female.

The federal and state ministries reported that 87% of the students graduating from university are not proficient to work in their field.

The study also found chronic and pervasive deficiencies in applied technology-enabled agriculture and animal husbandry in higher education.

Poor environmental management practices have also led to natural resource degradation in many areas.

The absence of effective resource conservation, ineffective law enforcement, the deteriorating role of traditional institutions, poor soil and water conservation practices, the inappropriate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides and natural shocks including climate change, drought and flooding have significantly impacted on the process of agricultural and livestock development.

Strategic interventions

• Quality control. Agriculture and veterinary science universities must adopt and adhere to standardised quality control measures governing curricula and demonstrated skills by graduates. Selection criteria must be set by the Ministry of Higher Education or other accredited agencies to oversee the curricula, verify graduates’ skills and enforce quality standards required for graduation. Academic institutions must conduct periodic assessments of students to verify their skills and preparedness for the agriculture/livestock sector. All graduating students should be measured according to a standardised qualifications framework.
• Internship program. Applied learning opportunities should be established through internship partnership programs in agriculture/animal science, research and innovative technology development between universities, government institutions and the private sector. These internships should focus on areas relevant to the agriculture sector and help students prepare to compete in the labor market.
• English language. English is the main language required by employers including international development agencies, international NGOs, government institutions and the private sector. All universities should screen for English proficiency on entry and provide advanced English language skills training where necessary
• Technical schools. Technical colleges and schools should be established in the agriculture and animal husbandry fields, with curricula in science and applied technology calibrated to the needs of the employers and the market. The specialties of each school should be strategically selected to reduce duplication and allow each of Somalia’s states to host at least one technical school at which students from neighbouring regions can study.
• Self-employment. Coursework covering agribusiness, entrepreneurship and soft business skills should be provided for students planning self-employment, as a supplement for their academic and technical skills.
• Strategic micro-grants/access to credit schemes. Strategic micro-grants or credit schemes should be set up to help graduates pursue self-employment in the agriculture/livestock sector. Relevant ministries such as finance and commerce should coordinate to incentivise new business development in areas of national strategic interest.