Only 1.6% of Somalia's total land area is cultivated, and 69% is permanent pasture. There are two main types of agriculture, one indigenous and the other introduced by European settlers. The Somalis have traditionally engaged in rain-fed dry-land farming or in dry-land farming complemented by irrigation from the waters of the Shabeelle and Jubba rivers or from collected rainwater. Corn, sorghum, beans, rice, vegetables, cotton, and sesame are grown by both methods. Somali and Italian farmers operating the banana farms practice more modern European-style techniques, as do some of the newly created Somali cooperatives. A system of state-administered farms grew rapidly during the early 1970s.
The commercial crops, bananas and sugarcane, are grown on irrigated land along the two rivers. Bananas constitute the nation's major commercial crop; output was 50,000 tons in 1999, down from 110,000 tons in 1990. Sugarcane is cultivated at Giohar and Jilib by a state-owned company. Sugarcane production in 1999 totaled some 210,000 tons, down from 500,000 tons in 1985. Somalia is the world's leading producer of frankincense.
Between 1975 and 1991, all land was nationalized. Existing customary rights were generally honored, but the state took over large areas of irrigable land in the river valleys. Plantations had to register to obtain a concession grant, with the value of the land itself excluded from the selling price. In 1993, privatization and assistance from Italy (the main market for banana exports) began to help revitalize the agricultural sector. In 2001, agricultural products accounted for 47% of exports and 17% of imports; there was an agricultural trade surplus of $10.2 million.
but, how can we improve the performance of agariculture in somalia?
who are the contributers in somali peaple?
Thanks for your data collection and we want to know more about the Somalia Agriculture how can we do,
We have got large land for farming, dryland agriculture and irrigation farm land.
Also, we need Agricultural education. Help us with the new Agricultural technologies and we can help by ourselves. We have got a rich country.
Warm regards.
I'm a Somali American stationed in Minnesota USA. I am interested
In purchasing farming land in somalia, preferably southern. My question, to whom ever that can answer. How do I go about purchasing land? And also so if their are any Somali farmers that would like to team up with me. Where I take care of all supply cost and you provide the land.
Really, i'm student who studies agriculture at Benadir university.
If i finish the study i'll help somali farmers.
former times and right now because ,somalia was said to be the lost paradise and that is one of the reasons assuring our prosperity.
we must encourage our people to cultivate for their land
Will the Somali farmers be open to joint enterprise; works of production with "Caribbean Agriculture Industry"
Secondly, I live in Somali specially Merka district, the regional capital of lower shabelle region. As we are all aware of our country somalia has got a great fertile land suitable for agriculture production interms of the different types of food and cash crops.
Our main problem is that we need more agricultural resources, experts and technical agricultural services for use in the production process.
Somali had got two rivers those pass across the country which can be used for irrigation purposes and at the same time most of the agricultural land are not used for the production of any kind of crop because of lack of the above mentioned key points including:
1.Agri-experts.
2.Agri-equipments and their tools.
3.Agri-extension services
4.Both crop and livestock production programs.
5.Open market for agri-produce.
6.Agri-based people who are determined to be dependent upon their own production.
7.Peaple who live outskirts of the city are people who love their own production, but they don't have a chance to make investments in their own production system to keep the economy of the country, so that they need more capital investments.
Yusuf A. Awad
Truly yours
pre-harvest practices include:
1. repeated irrirgation
2. repeated weeding,
3.fertiliser application.
4. pest and disease control.
5. harvesting
post-harvesting practices includue:
1. stalking
2. threshing
3.dehusking
4. drying
5. sunning
6. packing
7.packaging
8. transporting
many thanks to you all
i am interest to know more about somali farming, i don't have any experience in farming. I would like to buy farm in Somalia especially southern Somalia. can any one give more information regard somali farming business.
I need to learn more about somali agriculture
It depends on our economic it gives as more opportunity with out famer with out food