Seed Supply

Location	Hargeysa/Gabiley
Aim	Provision of basic farm inputs including high yielding seeds, hand tools/materials and water pumps for 32 farmers in Hargeisa and Gebiley districts to raise their productivity and incomes Training and education on best agronomic practices to local farmers and agricultural service providers to improve farming by introducing agricultural sustainable techniques and extension services
Results	Gender mainstreaming and women in agriculture were incorporated as targets in project beneficiaries. Strengthening of linkage between farmers and line ministry was developed and enhanced Creation of employment and food security increased Agricultural good practices skills and knowledge increased
Partners	Human Concern International

With food prices increasing and local food production declined due to climatically factors and other factors  , Somaliland  farmers needed access to better tools,technology, and education to improve their food security.  With crop production rates where they currently are, the Somaliland could be left desperately short of the food needed to feed its people.

The agriculture farm input supply project was developed as a partnership between Human Concern international (HCI) and HIRDA as a local partner. It was a 6 months pilot project launched to improve the food security conditions of 92 farm families (marginal farmers from) five villages across the maroodi jeex province in Somaliland -by providing farmers with training, basic farm inputs and cash for work to increase the crop production. The goal of this project was to improve the lives of Hargeisa and Gebiley district farmers by giving them access to farm tools/materials, vegetable seeds, water pumps for irrigation farms   and technical knowledge so they can increase fruit and vegetable crop yields and income. The project was equipped farmers with required basic farm inputs and vital agricultural knowledge to enable them to improve their crop production.

Project objectives

The specific Project objectives   aim to enable small and marginal vegetable/fruits farmers to increase yields and income by providing:

-Provision of basic farm inputs including high yielding seeds, hand tools/materials and water pumps    for 32 farmers in Hargeisa and Gebiley districts to raise their productivity and incomes.

-Training and education on best agronomic practices to local farmers and agricultural service providers to improve farming by introducing agricultural sustainable techniques and extension services.

-A contribution of cash for work program to 60 persons of seasonal farm labours to provide youth employment opportunities in rural agriculture services such as bush clearing, land preparation, digging or rehabilitation of farm shallow wells, weeding, water catchment and general farm cultivation.
-Formation of farmer groups to enable collective bargaining power and better market linkages

 

Project impact

What difference has the project made to the lives of the beneficiaries, and the broader community (if any)? 

• Gender mainstreaming and women in agriculture were incorporated as targets in project beneficiaries. Strengthening of linkage between farmers and line ministry   was developed and enhanced
• Creation of employment and food security increased
• Agricultural good practices skills and knowledge increased
• The area under cultivation for vegetables and yield per ha increased through increased water irrigation efficiency, manpower, and basic farm input supplies. 

CHALLENGES

Describe any conditions or events both positive and negative, which affected the implementation of the project during the reporting period, including successes, failures, and unanticipated events.

 

• Community expectations were extremely high felt that their social services needs were not addressed e.g rehabilitation of shallow wells, feeder roads, health, and schools.
•  Many villages and farmers at project targeted areas felt they have not included the project planning face due to limited of the project fund.
• Existence of regional inequalities  in terms of accessibility and availability of farm inputs
• Somaliland farmers’ vulnerability to climate change
• Agriculture supporting is inadequate and inequalities  in access
• Lack of adequate capacity and resources for agriculture line ministries