Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland - HoA-REChoarec.org/docs/hoarem7/day2/Civil Society Perspective on Landsca… · Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland. A Presentation at the

By:

Prof. Ali Ismail –Chairman of Board of Directors &

Dr. Abdirahman Jama Duale- member of Board of Directors

Somaliland Agricultural Society (SAS)

Civil Society Perspective on Regional Landscape Management in the Horn of

Africa

Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland

A Presentation at the HOA_REM Conference

24th -27th November 2014

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Outline 1. Introduction

• Topography/Geomorphology • Drainage Network • Climate: rainfall and temperature • Land Use systems • Soils • Land Cover • Length of Growing Period

2. Land Degradation • Land Degradation • Types of land Degradation 3. Responses to land degradation

4. Conclusion 5. Recommendation

Elevation map

northern coastal plain

Golis Mountain range

Central coastal plain with sand

dune

Flood plains-shabelle & Juba

rivers

Nugaal valley Hawd

plateau

Broad limestone-sandstone plateau

Coastal dunes

Mean annual rainfall distribution

Main annual temperature

Land use Major Land use types 1. Pastoralism: is the major type

of land use in Somalia. 2. Rain fed agriculture: Inter-

riverine and Somaliland mainly in the western areas.

3. Irrigated agriculture: flood

plains along river Juba and Shabelle, northern regions using seasonal streams and springs having available water for irrigated fruits and vegetables.

.

Major Soil Types

• Northern part of Somalia: shallow sandy and/or stony soils and some deeper calcareous soils.

• The central part of the country: sandy soils along the coast and moderately deep loamy soils with a high content of calcium carbonate and/or gypsum further inland.

• Southern Somalia are low-lying alluvial plains (Juba and Shabelle rivers): Clayey soils with poor drainage and/or high content of salts. Some riverine areas are also liable to flooding.

• Southern parts- inter-riverine areas: shallow soils and deep loamy and clayey soils.

Length Growing Period

Land Degradation

• Status of Land degradation of Somalia o Moderate to strong with increasing

trend • The main degradation types :

o Loss of vegetation cover and topsoil o Gully erosion, and loss of soil nutrient

in agriculture productive areas. • Main causes of these degradation:

o Aridity, over-grazing, tree cutting for charcoal production and construction materials.

o Increase in settlements and water points, continuous mono-cropping, lack of nutrient management.

Land Degradation types

TYPES OF LAND DEGRADATION

PHYSICAL DEGRADATION

CHEMICAL DEGRADATION BIOLOGICAL DEGRADATION

Soil erosion (by water and wind)

Decline of surface water quality Reduction of vegetation cover

Soil Compaction Decline of groundwater quality Loss of habitats

Sealing and crusting

Fertility decline and reduced organic matter content Quantity/biomass decline

Waterlogging

Quality and species composition/diversity decline

Aridification Salinisation/alkalinisation Loss of soil life

Change in quantity of surface water

Increase of pests/diseases, loss of predators

Change in groundwater/aquifer level

Land Degradation in Somalia/Somaliland

Topsoil loss Invasive species

Sediment loading Gully erosion

Aridification Soil fertility decline

Badland

Decline of water resources

Loss of vegetation cover

Causes of land degradation

The current responses to land degradation

Agro –forestry/nursery

Water harvesting

Gully control by gabion Cut off -drain Soil bund

Soil bund

Agro-forestry/nursery

Gully control by gabion

Conclusion

According to a study conducted by FAO SWALIM in 2009 , 30% of Somalia/Somaliland’s land is degraded.

Main degradation types identified were loss of vegetation cover, loss of topsoil, gully erosion, and loss of soil nutrient in agriculture productive areas.

In Somaliland (Awdal , Waqooyi Galbeed), the major land degradation types are found during the study were reduction of vegetation cover, soil erosion (water and wind), invasive plant species, and decline in nutrient.

These degradation types occur due to aridity, over-grazing, tree cutting for charcoal production and construction materials, increase of settlements and water points, continuous mono-cropping, lack of nutrient management, increase of enclosures, and encroachment of crop cultivation into marginal rangelands.

In north-eastern parts (Sanaag, Togdeer, Bari, and Nugaal), the major land degradation types are loss of vegetation cover and loss of topsoil. They occur mainly due to tree-cutting for charcoal production, increase of settlements and water points, and increase of enclosures.

In the central Somalia (Mudug, Galguduud, Hiran, Shabeelaha Dhexe), the main land degradation types are loss of vegetation, invasive plant species, loss of topsoil, and salinization.

The main causes of these types of degradation include tree-cutting, over-grazing, encroachment of agricultural activity into marginal areas, increase of enclosures, and excessive irrigation, and irrigation mismanagement. In the south, the major land degradation is loss of vegetation cover and soil erosion.

Although the degradation in the country is generally moderate to strong, its trend is increasing.

Cont’d

A sustained and strategic control measures of land degradation are needed in the country.

Already there are some sustainable land management practices by various agencies in Somaliland namely IFAD, FAO, ILO, GAA, World vision, BVO, HAVOYOCO, Candlelight , ADO , MADO among others. This can be up-scaled to support the degradation control in Somalia.

Conduct in-depth land degradation assessment throughout Somalia/Somaliland is recommended to quantify the identified different prevalent types of degradation in the country.

Recommendations

Thank you for listening