RESPONSE INITIATIVE FOR SOMALIA EMERGENCIES (RISE)
SADAR in partnerships with IFAD, the Somalia Federal Government and federal member states and through collaboration between existing networks of local organizations is implementing The Response initiative for Somalia emergencies (RISE) project which is a country-driven process that fully reflects the federal government’s request submitted to IFAD on 01 April 2022.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The RISE project is a one year project which started in 1st December 2022 and will be completed in 30th November 2023. It is aligned with national priorities and strategies as outlined in the Somalia National Development Plan for 2020 to 2024 (NDP-9 – Pillar 3 Economic Development and Pillar 4 Social Development) which is further aligned with mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Government’s agenda reflecting the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objective of the project is to contribute to the conducive Agro-ecological and market conditions, protecting productive livelihoods and tapping new market opportunities to reduce small-scale producers’ vulnerability, enhancing their resilience to the shocks from the Ukraine crisis on their livelihoods and improve their incomes.
The project seeks to maintain and improve climate- smart agricultural productive capacity, post-harvest, and resilient water infrastructure access for small-scale producers by supporting the agricultural productive capacity and functionality of food supply chains, resilient irrigation systems and domestic water supply infrastructure through innovations and technologies.
The project is primarily targeting small holder’s farmers groups (Agropastoral communities) in the districts of Qardo and North Galkacyo in Puntland and Beledweyne and Jowhar districts in Hirshabelle State. The project is also supporting the fishing communities in Hobyo district of Galmudug state. The project also seeks to maintain and improve climate- smart agricultural productive capacity, post-harvest, and resilient water infrastructure access for small-scale producers by supporting the agricultural productive capacity and functionality of food supply chains, resilient irrigation systems and domestic water supply infrastructure through innovations and technologies.
This project is estimated to reach 10,000 households (HHs), which is 60,000 direct beneficiaries. However, with the available initial allocation under the CRI, the project will target about 5,000 HHs (50%) of the total project outreach or 30,000 direct beneficiaries. In line with IFAD targeting policy, at least 50% of the targeted beneficiaries will be women and 25% will be youth from the marginalized groups and affected crisis.
THE OFF-GRID PILOT PROJECT IN PUNTLAND, SOMALIA.
Background
SADAR Development Institute and The European Committee for Training and Agriculture (CEFA), is implementing the“Irrigation and Climate Smart Technologies which is a component of the “Food Security and Sustainability in Fragile Situations (FSSFS) Projectin Somalia. The project envisions the application of climate smart technologies on irrigation systems and agricultural practices. To this effect CEFA signed a consultancy contract agreement with SADAR Development and Resilient Institute, a research institute specializing in addressing complex research and studies in all aspects of sustainable development, climate resilience and humanitarian crisis, for the conduction of a research on Climate Smart Technologies (CST) in Puntland.
OGB Technology – PIONEER Upgrade model
Off-Grid Box (OGB) is an all in one solar system that has been used successfully to provide community-based, off-grid energy solutions for households in Rwanda, and Tanzania and Somalia to provide water and clean energy to the Folanini hospital. Building on the knowledge gained in utilizing the model at the household level, the Off-Grid Box was modified to create a unique, innovative off-grid energy solution to provide water for irrigation at farm level, and yet still be able to have extra energy for other productive or complimentary uses and income generation activities.
The Off-Grid Box is a modular and compact unit (1.98 x 1.95 x 1.91 m) that provides renewable energy, Wi-Fi, and purified water in off-grid areas. For example, one unit, can impact up to 400 households (2,500 individuals) providing tier 1 electricity, internet, and safe water on a Pay-As-You-Go basis. On top of this, the unit can power productive uses (as water pumping for irrigation, drying fruits and vegetables, etc.).
The Off-Grid Box model for the pilot project in Puntland is the PIONEER Upgrade model. This model is equipped with a double roof of solar panels to increase its energy production capacity, provideIng water for irrigation at farm level, and providing extra energy for other productive or complimentary uses and income generation activities. It combines and can power both the PAYG and PULSE functions of the Box. The PAYG (Pay As You Go) function refers to the capacity to provide safe drinking water, tier-1 solar power, and eventually Wi-Fi connectivity to the local communities, under affordable payments. The PULSE (Productive Uses Leveraging Solar Energy)function is related to capacity of the container to power water pumps and other rural tools to boost the agricultural productivity and add value to the agricultural products through post-harvesting processing.
As part of the research on the Climate Smart Technologies, a preliminary feasibility studyon the utilization of the OGB technology, SADAR, interviewed more than 260 dates palm farmers, between March and June 2020, in 28 different locations in Bari and Nugaal. The data derived from the survey has shown a great potential for the adoption of the OGB technology, confirming a clear need for an improved access to off-grid energy solutions, clean drinkable water, and more sustainable irrigation system, as well as the presence of some purchasing power to pay for these services.
A site in El-Dahir, in Bossaso district Bari region was chosen as the most appropriate location for a pilot test of the OGB technology. The selected farm is located at 2 km from El-Dahir town (3,500 people), which is accessible by a tarmac road connected to Bossaso port (95 km). The field currently cultivated with date palms measures 6,800 m2 with 106 dates palm trees aged between 6-7 years old. In addition, there are 0.7 ha of land that the project intends to use for the establishment of a date palm demo farm with new seedlings (see image xx). The water source for the irrigation of the date palms is a shallow well of 11 meters depth, 200 meters far from the field. The water level is 3 meters from the bottom of the well, with an average fluctuation level across the year of 0.4 meters. The land is owned by Abdi Abdirahman Said, a project beneficiary with more than 40 years of experience in date palm farming.
The pilot OGB project anticipates to create and boost a sustainable local economy resulting from the availability of water that will have a significant transformational impact on local economies. Additionally, Palm dates and horticulture intercropping could be boosted, while additional productive uses could also be powered (especially considering the seasonality of the harvesting, post-harvesting processes in dates production) that could increase the value of the production (driers, packaging machineries, etc.). Due to the low consumption of water purification and bottling services, a water purification system can be set up as well as a charging service for electronic devices, as a complimentary income generation activity of the OGB, reaching up to about 400 households and 2,400 individuals.
The Objectives of the OGB Project
The main objectives of the OGB pilot project are as follows:
-
- To test the OGB technology in Puntland. In particular, the project will monitor and evaluate:
- The adoption of the OGB technology for irrigation and productive uses in the date palm production.
-
- the utilization of the OGB technology to supply clean drinkable water and affordable electricity to the surrounding rural communities.
- To test the OGB technology in Puntland. In particular, the project will monitor and evaluate:
-
- To develop local capacities on the application of climate-smart technologies for the dates production, by training and capacity building the users of the box, date palm farmers, farmer associations, local authorities, and private sector on the operation, management, and maintenance of the OGB Technology.
-
- To establish a date palm demonstration farm in El-Dahir to practically train date palm farmers on: a) date palm farming; b) off-shoots management and propagation; c) dates harvesting; c) dates cleaning, sorting, washing, drying, and packaging processes; d) sustainable irrigation system and practices; e) climate-smart technologies adoption.
-
- To establish a small-scale dates post-harvesting unit, to improve and make more efficient the currently adopted practices for dates sorting, cleaning, drying, and packaging.
The above-mentioned objectives are meant to respond to the following findings and gaps emerged from the several studies and assessments conducted by the FSSFS Project during its inception phase.
-
- Low level of adoption and Irrigation of climate smart technologies and practices for irrigation. According to the survey on the OGB technology conducted by SADAR in Puntland, almost 60% of the irrigation runs on fuel generators, showing a great potential for improving the economics behind irrigation systems by introducing solar pumping. Low adoption of drip and bubbler irrigation system have been also confirmed by the technical assessment on irrigation infrastructures and by the date palm value chain analysis.
SADAR in partnerships with IFAD, the Somalia Federal Government and federal member states and through collaboration between existing networks of local organizations is implementing The Response initiative for Somalia emergencies (RISE) project which is a country-driven process that fully reflects the federal government’s request submitted to IFAD on 01 April 2022.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The RISE project is a one year project which started in 1st December 2022 and will be completed in 30th November 2023. It is aligned with national priorities and strategies as outlined in the Somalia National Development Plan for 2020 to 2024 (NDP-9 – Pillar 3 Economic Development and Pillar 4 Social Development) which is further aligned with mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Government’s agenda reflecting the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objective of the project is to contribute to the conducive Agro-ecological and market conditions, protecting productive livelihoods and tapping new market opportunities to reduce small-scale producers’ vulnerability, enhancing their resilience to the shocks from the Ukraine crisis on their livelihoods and improve their incomes.
The project seeks to maintain and improve climate- smart agricultural productive capacity, post-harvest, and resilient water infrastructure access for small-scale producers by supporting the agricultural productive capacity and functionality of food supply chains, resilient irrigation systems and domestic water supply infrastructure through innovations and technologies.
The project is primarily targeting small holder’s farmers groups (Agropastoral communities) in the districts of Qardo and North Galkacyo in Puntland and Beledweyne and Jowhar districts in Hirshabelle State. The project is also supporting the fishing communities in Hobyo district of Galmudug state. The project also seeks to maintain and improve climate- smart agricultural productive capacity, post-harvest, and resilient water infrastructure access for small-scale producers by supporting the agricultural productive capacity and functionality of food supply chains, resilient irrigation systems and domestic water supply infrastructure through innovations and technologies.
This project is estimated to reach 10,000 households (HHs), which is 60,000 direct beneficiaries. However, with the available initial allocation under the CRI, the project will target about 5,000 HHs (50%) of the total project outreach or 30,000 direct beneficiaries. In line with IFAD targeting policy, at least 50% of the targeted beneficiaries will be women and 25% will be youth from the marginalized groups and affected crisis.
THE OFF-GRID PILOT PROJECT IN PUNTLAND, SOMALIA.
Background
SADAR Development Institute and The European Committee for Training and Agriculture (CEFA), is implementing the“Irrigation and Climate Smart Technologies which is a component of the “Food Security and Sustainability in Fragile Situations (FSSFS) Projectin Somalia. The project envisions the application of climate smart technologies on irrigation systems and agricultural practices. To this effect CEFA signed a consultancy contract agreement with SADAR Development and Resilient Institute, a research institute specializing in addressing complex research and studies in all aspects of sustainable development, climate resilience and humanitarian crisis, for the conduction of a research on Climate Smart Technologies (CST) in Puntland.
OGB Technology – PIONEER Upgrade model
Off-Grid Box (OGB) is an all in one solar system that has been used successfully to provide community-based, off-grid energy solutions for households in Rwanda, and Tanzania and Somalia to provide water and clean energy to the Folanini hospital. Building on the knowledge gained in utilizing the model at the household level, the Off-Grid Box was modified to create a unique, innovative off-grid energy solution to provide water for irrigation at farm level, and yet still be able to have extra energy for other productive or complimentary uses and income generation activities.
The Off-Grid Box is a modular and compact unit (1.98 x 1.95 x 1.91 m) that provides renewable energy, Wi-Fi, and purified water in off-grid areas. For example, one unit, can impact up to 400 households (2,500 individuals) providing tier 1 electricity, internet, and safe water on a Pay-As-You-Go basis. On top of this, the unit can power productive uses (as water pumping for irrigation, drying fruits and vegetables, etc.).
The Off-Grid Box model for the pilot project in Puntland is the PIONEER Upgrade model. This model is equipped with a double roof of solar panels to increase its energy production capacity, provideIng water for irrigation at farm level, and providing extra energy for other productive or complimentary uses and income generation activities. It combines and can power both the PAYG and PULSE functions of the Box. The PAYG (Pay As You Go) function refers to the capacity to provide safe drinking water, tier-1 solar power, and eventually Wi-Fi connectivity to the local communities, under affordable payments. The PULSE (Productive Uses Leveraging Solar Energy)function is related to capacity of the container to power water pumps and other rural tools to boost the agricultural productivity and add value to the agricultural products through post-harvesting processing.
As part of the research on the Climate Smart Technologies, a preliminary feasibility studyon the utilization of the OGB technology, SADAR, interviewed more than 260 dates palm farmers, between March and June 2020, in 28 different locations in Bari and Nugaal. The data derived from the survey has shown a great potential for the adoption of the OGB technology, confirming a clear need for an improved access to off-grid energy solutions, clean drinkable water, and more sustainable irrigation system, as well as the presence of some purchasing power to pay for these services.
A site in El-Dahir, in Bossaso district Bari region was chosen as the most appropriate location for a pilot test of the OGB technology. The selected farm is located at 2 km from El-Dahir town (3,500 people), which is accessible by a tarmac road connected to Bossaso port (95 km). The field currently cultivated with date palms measures 6,800 m2 with 106 dates palm trees aged between 6-7 years old. In addition, there are 0.7 ha of land that the project intends to use for the establishment of a date palm demo farm with new seedlings (see image xx). The water source for the irrigation of the date palms is a shallow well of 11 meters depth, 200 meters far from the field. The water level is 3 meters from the bottom of the well, with an average fluctuation level across the year of 0.4 meters. The land is owned by Abdi Abdirahman Said, a project beneficiary with more than 40 years of experience in date palm farming.
The pilot OGB project anticipates to create and boost a sustainable local economy resulting from the availability of water that will have a significant transformational impact on local economies. Additionally, Palm dates and horticulture intercropping could be boosted, while additional productive uses could also be powered (especially considering the seasonality of the harvesting, post-harvesting processes in dates production) that could increase the value of the production (driers, packaging machineries, etc.). Due to the low consumption of water purification and bottling services, a water purification system can be set up as well as a charging service for electronic devices, as a complimentary income generation activity of the OGB, reaching up to about 400 households and 2,400 individuals.
The Objectives of the OGB Project
The main objectives of the OGB pilot project are as follows:
-
- To test the OGB technology in Puntland. In particular, the project will monitor and evaluate:
- The adoption of the OGB technology for irrigation and productive uses in the date palm production.
-
- the utilization of the OGB technology to supply clean drinkable water and affordable electricity to the surrounding rural communities.
- To test the OGB technology in Puntland. In particular, the project will monitor and evaluate:
-
- To develop local capacities on the application of climate-smart technologies for the dates production, by training and capacity building the users of the box, date palm farmers, farmer associations, local authorities, and private sector on the operation, management, and maintenance of the OGB Technology.
-
- To establish a date palm demonstration farm in El-Dahir to practically train date palm farmers on: a) date palm farming; b) off-shoots management and propagation; c) dates harvesting; c) dates cleaning, sorting, washing, drying, and packaging processes; d) sustainable irrigation system and practices; e) climate-smart technologies adoption.
-
- To establish a small-scale dates post-harvesting unit, to improve and make more efficient the currently adopted practices for dates sorting, cleaning, drying, and packaging.
The above-mentioned objectives are meant to respond to the following findings and gaps emerged from the several studies and assessments conducted by the FSSFS Project during its inception phase.
-
- Low level of adoption and Irrigation of climate smart technologies and practices for irrigation. According to the survey on the OGB technology conducted by SADAR in Puntland, almost 60% of the irrigation runs on fuel generators, showing a great potential for improving the economics behind irrigation systems by introducing solar pumping. Low adoption of drip and bubbler irrigation system have been also confirmed by the technical assessment on irrigation infrastructures and by the date palm value chain analysis.