ReliefWeb

Brief Summary

Calls to Radio Ergo’s audience feedback platform this week (27 January – 2 February 2022) reflected the range of growing hardships and challenges faced by communities across the country as drought bites deeper. Most callers complained of lack of water, food, and livestock fodder, displacement, high prices, disease, and lack of assistance from government and aid agencies. A few callers mostly in northern areas reported invasions of locusts. The following summarises the calls by theme.

Drought and water crisis – there were many calls from northern regions, especially Togdher, Sanag and Sool. A caller in Lughaya, Awdal said they were unable to sell their livestock and had multiple problems. In Togdher, callers in Buhodle and Burao spoke of sick animals and lack of fodder and water. A caller in Durugsi said they had no water trucking services. Several in Daadmareen spoke of severe drought, lack of water, and dead livestock. A pastoralist in Sheikh said they had moved there to get water and fodder but the resources were gone and they had no means to return to Burao. Callers in Oodweyne said a small tank of water sold for four dollars and they needed water aid. Another Togdher caller said their animals were so weak they could barely get to the well to drink. Among the Sanag callers, a pastoralist in Hingalol said they had fodder but no water nearby. A caller in Taleh said the wells were dry. Callers in Badhan said there was drought and food shortage and the poor were affected by the inability to use Somali shillings. In Sool, callers in Waridad, Ainabo, and Lasanod said there was no water or fodder and many dying livestock. A herder in Wadamo-go said his animals could no longer trek to get water. In Puntland, callers in Bari and Nugal said the drought had been prolonged and they needed rainfall and aid to save their dying animals. Among the callers in Galmudug, several said they wanted their appeals to be heard. A caller in Sahawanag, Mudug, said people and animals were in limbo awaiting the rain. Callers in Dusamareb said their livestock and livelihoods were dying. A caller in Do’oley said water prices had skyrocketed and the land was bare after locusts destroyed all the vegetation. Among calls from Hiran, a caller in Beletweyne said they had drought and diseases including watery diarrhoea. In Bay region, a caller in Baidoa said livestock were dying and people were being forced to migrate. Among the calls from Gedo, a female caller said they were suffering drought and hardships and as a mother with children she was hoping to excel in life. A farmer in Gedo said their farms had failed. There were also calls from across the border in Ethiopia’s Somali Region about lack of water and animal fodder and inability to plant any crops.

Locusts – a few callers mainly in the north reported locust invasions. A female caller in Buhodle called for aerial spraying. A caller in Haylan, Sanag, said drought and locusts had caused much damage and their livestock were suffering. A caller in Erigabo said the locusts had cleared all their farms and grazing land, coming on the heels of the drought.

IDPs – people identifying as displaced in various places had complaints abut lack of food, water, shelter, and assistance.