Food insecurity concerns after poor rains in Somaliland

Officials in Somalia's self-declared Republic of Somaliland are concerned about food security following poor rains during the March-May planting season, known as the Gu'.



Mohamed Muse Awale, chairman of the National Environment Research and Disaster Preparedness Agency (NERAD), said the situation was deteriorating throughout the country as nowhere had experienced reliable rains.



"A little rain has been reported in Golis mountains and the west of the country, but even these places dramatically dried up as soon as Xaggaa [summer] winds started; we are coming together with our partners from the Somaliland government and our international partners in the Ministry of Interior to discuss how to handle this problem," Awale said.



He added: "We are now collecting information from the remote areas, where NERAD does not have offices, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Interior, which has radio calls in everywhere in the country; after that we will call for help."



Unless additional rainfall is experienced in June, there could be crop failure in many parts of Somaliland, officials of the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.



The 2009 Gu’ rainfall was way below normal in terms of distribution and coverage, according to an FSNAU report.



"A comparison between actual rainfall and the long-term mean indicates that overall rainfall performance has been 20 to 60 percent of normal during this Gu' for most parts of the north and northeast region. Rains were insufficient to improve pasture and browse conditions and failed to increase water availability in most of the potential grazing areas... Unless rains re-establish in the coming days, the season will be considered a failure once again," the report stated.



The FSNAU report also noted a high level of livestock deaths "due to lack of pasture and water resources, high abortion rates, culling of new born sheep/goats and drought induced disease".



Ahmed Aw Dahir, mayor of Las Anod, the administrative capital of Sool, said: "The rainfall was much below normal; the Haggaa seasonal winds have started. For this reason, we are worried if more rains do not fall soon severe drought may erupt in the region, as well as the surrounding regions.



"This will impact badly on the livelihood of both pastoralists and people in the urban centres, who depend on the rural agricultural areas."



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