QFFD, FAO partner to tackle natural disasters in Somalia

By Bisola Adeyemo

Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), signed the first-ever agreement to fight against droughts, flash and riverine flooding, cyclones and other natural disasters ravaging Somalia.

This was made known in a press release made available by reliefweb on Friday.

Ms Beth Bechdol , FAO’s Deputy Director-General, said the reoccurrence of natural disasters caused by the effect of climate change in the nation have led to continuous disruption of livelihoods, elevated vulnerability and poverty, ensuing in acute starvation and malnutrition.

Bechdol said, “FAO welcomes the commitment of the State of Qatar to support vulnerable farming communities in Somalia. Through this first ever partnership with the Qatar Fund for Development, we will work together to save and reinforce livelihoods and help families to anticipate shocks such as drought and prevent and control animal diseases by increasing and diversifying their food production and protecting their livestock – an essential source of food and income.

“And to ease this dilemma QFFD with FOA is aiming thought this undertaking to realize the objective enhancing smallholder agriculture and livestock manufacturing via local weather-resilient and shock-knowledgeable anticipatory motion.

“This will function the goal of this undertaking. It will embody, maximizing and diversifying farmers’ manufacturing in anticipation of a drought, drought-associated unfold of animal illness is mitigated to guard family meals safety, diet, and earnings and lastly bettering entry to water to guard crucial livelihood property of pastoralist populations.”

The Deputy Director General of initiatives, Qatar Fund for Development, Misfer Al-Shahwani, added that, “We gather all here today to witness the signing of urgent anticipatory action agreement. We trust that the initiative will support farming and pastoral communities at risk in advance to reduce the threats facing the marginalized groups. More to that, the call of anticipatory action will help deliver effective solutions that is estimated to assist 1,850 farming smallholders and respond to emergency agricultural livelihoods in advance.”