The World Bank approved a $70 million International Development Association (IDA) grant to develop resilient water, agriculture, and environmental services for rural communities in Somalia’s drylands.
The Somalia Water for Rural Resilience Project named ‘Barwaaqo’ builds on the Biyoole project and comes at a critical time when Somalia is facing an unprecedented multi-season drought and worsening food insecurity.
Agriculture is a kernel to the Somalia economy, not only in terms of meeting the food needs of the population (nearly 50% of the population’s cereal requirements are met through domestic production). It is also a means of generating income through crop sales and agricultural labor opportunities.
The Barwaaqo project will expand services in Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, and the South West States while expanding to include two additional federal member states—Hirshabelle and Jubbaland—where the project will focus on the areas situated away from the floodplains of the Shabelle and the Jubba rivers.
This project will provide water to 500,000 people, representing approximately 15% of the rural population, who currently only have access to limited services and unimproved or surface water.