AGRICULTURE/ INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
Food shortages are common in Somalia, where droughts, lack of water for irrigation, infertile soils and floods together with other adverse growing factors are frequent. These problems, coupled with a general lack of knowledge of good agricultural practices have led to major shortages of basic food supplies throughout the Country.
Due to the fact that only a small percentage of Somalia’s countryside in suitable for profitable production of crops, it is really important to provide adequate training to local Technicians and Extensionists as well as to farmers on subjects such as: Principles of Integrated Pest Management, Agronomy, Grain storage, Irrigation, etc.
Training and awareness campaigns (on different subjects) must also target all those working, with different functions and roles, at the various Ministries of Agriculture. Trainings should also involve retailers of agricultural products/equipment and students of Schools of Agriculture/Universities.
Good Agriculture Practice includes a range of activities aimed at improving crop production whilst respecting at the same time the environment. IPM is an important component of this concept, focusing in particular on strategies to reduce crop losses (both pre and post harvest) due to pests and diseases.
The current projects believe that a professional IPM training work will give to a large part of the Somali farming community the knowledge to grow better crops, to avoid poisoning incidents when they handle pesticides and, at the same time, to produce better quality foods. It is recognised that an objective of this type is a long term action and that benefits will multiply over the years.
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