Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security in Somalia: Challenges and Adaptation Strategies

Résumé

Climate change significantly threatens food security in Somalia, a nation heavily reliant on agriculture and pastoralism. The country faces challenges such as erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, floods, and rising temperatures, which disrupt agricultural productivity and exacerbate food insecurity. This paper explores the impacts of climate change on Somalia’s food security and identifies challenges and adaptation strategies. The objectives include understanding the linkage between climate change and food insecurity and proposing actionable solutions to enhance resilience among vulnerable populations. Using a review methodology, this study synthesizes secondary data from scholarly articles, reports, and organizational publications. Major findings highlight that climate change has led to reduced crop yields, livestock losses, degraded fisheries, and increased resource conflicts. Key adaptation strategies such as climate-smart agriculture, early warning systems, livelihood diversification, and international aid demonstrate the potential to address these challenges. Despite these strategies, political instability, insufficient infrastructure, and limited governance impede progress. Building resilience requires a multi-faceted approach that integrates sustainable practices, enhanced technology, and collaborative governance to safeguard food security in Somalia. This study concludes that climate change exacerbates Somalia’s existing vulnerabilities, posing an existential threat to its food security. Addressing these challenges requires an integrated approach encompassing sustainable agricultural practices, enhanced governance, and strengthened international cooperation. By prioritizing these interventions, Somalia can build resilience and safeguard the livelihoods of its most vulnerable populations in the face of ongoing climate disruptions