Somalia

Africa

Pastoralism is one of the main livelihood options for millions in this East African country of 15.5 million people. Livestock production and exports are an important part of Somalia’s economy, as is farming – with around 83 per cent of the working population employed in agriculture.

Featured resources

Browse all

A farmer in Menz, Ethiopia gets help from her 10 year old daughter in keeping her sheep.

Publications and resources 20th November 2023

The role of Development Finance Institutions in addressing food security in vulnerable contexts

The challenges of food security and economic development in fragile contexts have become urgent. This report asks what more can be done to address food security in such contexts using private sector solutions.

Scenes from Mogadishu during Eid Al-Fitr Celebrations - image by Tobin Jones / UN Photo - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED

Publications and resources 6th October 2023

Climate-resilient development for Somalia

This report outlines ways that policymakers in Somalia can increase access to climate finance and better integrate adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk management in socioeconomic development.

Pastoralists come to Harshim town from neighbouring woredas and Somalia looking for water in Fafan Zone Somali region in 2017 - Image by Michael Tsegaye / UNICEF Ethiopia -

Publications and resources 14th September 2023

Financing climate adaptation in fragile states: A case of Somalia

This policy brief outlines some of the key actions the Federal Government of Somalia, and development and humanitarian partners financing climate-related activities can take to accelerate climate action.

Publications and resources 31st March 2023

Somalia: Anticipatory Action in Advance of 'Wicked Crises'

This recent study from SPARC offers insights from a real-time study of people’s lives in Somalia during 2020–2022, looking at how crisis-affected people take their own anticipatory action.

A Somali woman sells bread in a market in Jowhar, Middle Shabelle region - Image by AU-UN IST / Stuart Price - public domain

Publications and resources 18th January 2023

Issue brief: Somalia: drought and rising costs take hold

This brief is the second in a series highlighting the challenges facing people from different livelihoods in three sites in Somalia - Burao (Togdheer), Galkayo (Mudug) and Jowhar (Middle Shabelle).