Project description / objective
To accelerate economic development for marginalised groups in targeted areas of Somalia by increasing individual, household, business, community and system-wide resilience through rural and urban livelihood diversification and promoting inclusive economic market systems to combat real and perceived grievances that contribute to violent extremism and conflict.
Market systems focus
Crops
Agriculture has long been Somalia’s most important economic sector, but years of civil unrest and drought have devastated crops and livestock. Farming communities have poor agricultural productivity, market linkages and climate resilience. IRiS focuses on enhancing farmers’ resilience through climate-smart agricultural practices, access to drought-tolerant crop varieties and sustainable water management technologies.
Livestock
Livestock is an important sector in the Somali economy. 65 per cent of the population depends on it for their livelihood. The sector produces 80 per cent of exports and 45 per cent of the Somali GDP. However, the sector is severely threatened by persistent drought and lack of advancements to manage climate change.
Fisheries
Improving market access to increase fish exports will create more resilient economic opportunities for marginalised groups in the Somali fishing industry. It will also increase employment opportunities in the fisheries sector for the urban poor and marginalised populations.
Programme interventions
Crops
- Foster connections between seed-producing processing companies and local agro-dealer networks to boost the demand for innovative, high quality seed varieties/hybrids.
- Embed last mile extension services in private sector out-grower models by partnering with seed producers to embed extension services in their sourcing models and increase the number of smallholders in their supply chain.
- Strengthen key value chains in the agriculture sector by supporting farmers in improving their production techniques, facilitating access to quality inputs, promoting efficient post-harvest handling practices, and enhancing market linkages.
- Strengthen commercial linkages between smallholders and grain processors by incentivising private sector grain producers in irrigated and rain-fed areas to engage out-growers and then connecting the out-growers to grain millers in local markets.
- Strengthen the capacity of the Somali Agriculture Regulatory and Inspection Services (SARIS) to improve its technical and technological capacity to carry out seed field inspections, testing and certification per the Somali Seeds Varieties Act and International Seed Testing Association.
Livestock
Livestock sector interventions focus on improving livestock productivity and market system development for livestock and livestock products. Interventions respond to challenges such as frequent droughts, lack of veterinary services, and insufficient fodder.
- Expand private sector investment in fodder production and marketing by working with private sector partners to strengthen their out-grower network and embed extension service support for fodder producer groups.
- Supporting live animal market infrastructure through collaboration with private sector trade associations, lead firms and the Ministry of Livestock, Forestry and Range.
- Support improvement in the aggregation and supply of quality milk in urban Mogadishu by improving lead dairy firms’ collection and distribution efficiency.
- Strengthening the veterinary medicine supply chain and capacities of the Private Veterinary Pharmacies (PVPs) and Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs).
- Expand access to finance for dairy producers to allow milk vendors to acquire technologies and delivering demand-driven business management and market negotiation skills training to cooperatives and Village Savings and Loans Associations.
Fisheries
To contribute to the Somali Government’s work in the fisheries sector, IRiS is expanding fish exports to diverse markets, enhancing commercial linkages, developing capacity, building market infrastructure and creating economic opportunities for marginalised groups.
- Strengthen institutional capacity for the fish exporters association by supporting the Somali Seafood Export Association to create a database for fish product exporters and organising business-to-business meetings to explore regional markets in DRC, Kenya and Oman.
- Establish a national system to enhance quality assurance of Somalia fish exports by working closely with the Somalia Bureau of Standards (SBoS) to build its capacity, provide necessary lab equipment and training, and extend support for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification efforts.
- Strengthen the capacity of institutions in fisheries research and education by supporting City University, Mogadishu to develop training/mentorship modules for fishing cooperatives, women/youth groups and fish-market operators.
- Increase financial access and private investment in the fisheries sector to create low-risk, high-return financial products to address capital needs and overcome challenges related to seasonality, low profitability and inadequate infrastructure.
- Coordinate with key stakeholders in the fish sector including the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, SSEA, and other stakeholders for legal, regulatory, and administrative policy development.
Notable results (systemic change, poverty impact)
It is too early in programme to provide substantive and meaningful data.
[Uploaded February 2024]
Note on early termination of programme
Following the U.S. administration's suspension and subsequent dismantling of USAID, this programme was terminated early, in February 2025.