TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH IN SOMALIA Presented at the Workshop on Flagship 4:CGIAR Research for Improving the Impact of Relief, Recovery and Rehabilitation on Agricultural Livelihoods in Highly Stressed and Unstable Systems May 22-23, 08 Nairobi, Kenya HUSSEIN HAJI

OVERVIEW Introduction to SATG Background – Agriculture in Somalia Research systems and limitations Past Present Future – Ideas for discussion

SOMALI AGRICULTURE TECHNICAL GROUP (SATG) A registered non-profit association of Somali professionals and friends of the country Dedicated to assisting in the reconstruction of Somalia and its agricultural heritage

SATG MISSION To strive for peace and prosperity through sustainable agricultural development

SATG MEMBERS Multidisciplinary team consisting of highly qualified and experienced professionals from different sectors of agriculture Crop improvement and biotechnology Crop production and soil management Crop protection Farming systems and technology transfer Water resource management Animal and food science Livestock

SATG ACHIEVEMENTS Established SATG electronic forum Filsan mungbean identification and repatriation Phosphorous as one of the limiting factors in the Bay region soils Documented historic information on PGR and seed sector Recommendations on livestock sector, deforestation and charcoal export Providing technical support to local and international NGO’s Visit www.satg.org for details

BACKGROUND Agriculture contributed 65% of GDP-1990 Livestock – 51% Crops - 38% Forestry – 9.5% Fisheries - < 1%

BACKGROUND Cereal crops Legume crops Oil crops Commercial crops Sorghum, maize and rice Legume crops Cowpeas and mungbeans Oil crops Sesame and sunflower Commercial crops Banana, Citrus, Vegetables, Sugar cane, Cotton, Frankincense, and Myrrh

BACKGROUND Cropping Systems Irrigated (South)                                                                                                                             Cropping Systems Irrigated (South) Rainfall (South, Central, North West) Most crop production takes place in the south which have suffered the most from civil unrest

MILESTONE YEAR MILESTONE 1967-1972 Agriculture research Somali universities 1979 Release of Somtux maize variety 1980 Wyoming team in the Bay region IDRC sorghum project 1987 Sorghum germplasm collection Release of Filsan mungbean variety Phosphorous deficiency 1990 Civil war 1990-2008 NGO’s

RESEARCH SYSTEM-PAST MINSTRY OF AGRICULTURE RESEARCH DEPT. CARS JILIB ABUREEN BDARS AG. EXTENTION

LIMITATIONS Linkages among research, extension, and the agric. university Stakeholder participation Priority setting Monitoring and evaluation Research quality Lack of motivation Disproportionate funding

RESEARCH SYSTEM-PRESENT Somali Support Secretariat Food Security and Rural Development-Agriculture working Group CINS CEFA AGROSPHERE CONCERN SAVE THE CHILDREN GTZ CARE

RESEARCH SYSTEM-PRESENT SAGRA Somali Universities Local NGO’s

RESEARCH SYSTEM-PRESENT Filsan Seed Distribution

LIMITATIONS International NGO Local NGO Remotely present Short-term and lack of support for long-term programs Staff turn over and loss of institutional memory Quality of research Research experience Present Infrastructure Experience eroding Lack of training and human resource development Lack of funding to conduct research No agenda for research

RESEARCH SYSTEM-FUTURE Status quo until peace, security and a working government are restored A move towards research and extension establishment irrespective to the current conditions on the ground. How?

RESEARCH SYSTEM-FUTURE Who are the stakeholders? Farmers, commercial buyers, consumers, input suppliers, seed producers, International NGOs, TFG What type of technical support is available? CG Centre SATG FAO NGO’s What kind of resources are available on the ground? SAGRA, Local NGO’s Somali Universities

RESEARCH SYSTEM-FUTURE What type of research framework to follow? How to strengthen the system linkage? What type of research is required?

RESEARCH SYSTEM-FUTURE Sectors MEMBERSHIP Research Board Stakeholders Technical Support Committee CG Centre, FAO, SATG,NGO’s Implementation SAGRA, Somali Universities, NGO’s

ACKNOWLEDGMENT IDRC CG team for collective action

THANK YOU