* Governance and Stability:
* Non-functional or less powerful government (Federal and States), lacking the capacity to effectively address major causes of drought and other natural or man-made problems.
* Poor security and widespread instability throughout the country.
* Social conflicts and wars.
* Environmental and Climate Factors:
* Climate change and global warming.
* Reduced rainfall due to deforestation, climate change, and global warming.
* Deforestation, overgrazing, and destruction of trees for charcoal production, firewood, and construction materials.
* Soil degradation and over-cultivated land leading to low production.
* Agricultural Challenges:
* Lack of community participation in agricultural initiatives.
* Subsistence farming due to limited resources (small landholdings, insufficient manpower, outdated farming methods, lack of equipment).
* Pest infestations, such as locusts, and significant crop damage from birds.
* Farmers abandoning their villages/farms in search of better living conditions.
* Excessive water demands in urban and rural areas.
* Lack of social infrastructure and modern agricultural equipment.
* Primitive farming and animal husbandry methods.
* Human, plant, and animal diseases without adequate treatment.
* Poor crop storage practices, including inadequate underground storage.
* Farmers prioritising cash crops like sesame and fruits over staple foods such as sorghum, maize, and beans.
* Lack of effective rangeland management.
* No storage for forage and rations for livestock.
* No agricultural and livestock research centres.
* Farming heavily reliant on rainfall, with no alternative irrigation methods.
* Non-qualified agricultural directors or authorities.
* Lack of input from intellectuals (agronomists, animal husbandry experts, and veterinarians).
* No network for farmers to share knowledge or resources.
* Illegal occupation of farming lands by individuals with limited farming experience.
* Water Management and Infrastructure:
* Flooding in the Shabelle and Jubba Rivers and during torrential rains.
* No systematic water distribution at rivers.
* Lack of flood protection facilities along rivers and during storms.
* Scarcity of water reservoirs and old water pools; insufficient wells.
* Decreased capacity of water catchments due to silt/soil deposition, excessive heat, and infiltration.
* Socio-economic and Political Factors:
* Road blockages and a poor communication system
* Double taxation from both the government and Al-Shabaab, discouraging farmers from cultivating land.
* International organizations and local NGOs inadvertently encouraging farmers to leave their farms/villages.
* Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps becoming income-generating projects for exploitative individuals.
* No repatriation programs for Internally Displaced People.
FISHING-RELATED FACTORS:
* Primitive fishing methods.
* Lack of modern equipment (boats, fish-catching facilities, cold storage).
* Limited or non-existent fish markets.
* Road blockages hindering transport of fish.
* Illegal fishing practices.
* Fish and seafood not being a common part of the Somali diet.
* Lack of government and international support/investment in the fishing sector.
* Absence of clear rules and regulations for fishing.
* Marine pollution impacting fish stocks.
Prepared by: Awes Amin
Melbourne, Australia
