The second Sustainable Development Goal is to end hunger and malnutrition in every form and to create sustainable food systems that will be able to help generations to come. The objective has a high priority to enhance the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers especially to the women and pastoral communities and facilitate balanced access to land, input, knowledge and financial services. It promotes sustainable agricultural practices that can respond to the climate changes like droughts and floods.

Somalia is coping with severe problems on the way to food security, and several communities have been suffering due to little access to adequate and healthy food products. The consequences of frequent droughts and displacement, along with weak infrastructure, are still endangering livelihoods and agricultural outputs in the entire nation. The Global Hunger Index of Somalia is 44.1 which falls in the alarming level of hunger. 51% of Somalia’s population is undernourished, 25.6% of children under 5 are stunted, 11.8% of children under 5 are wasted and 10.8% of children die before they turn five. As much as such statistics indicate the magnitude of the problem, it also gives evidence on where special intervention and further cooperation has the potential to create real value.

Key Drivers of Food Insecurity in Somalia

• Severe and Recurrent Droughts- One of the most imperative challenges to food security in Somalia has been the severe and recurrent drought. Such long periods of dry spells interfere with planting and harvesting seasons, reduce the supply of water, and lead to poor well-being of the livestock, and this directly affects the survival of farmers and pastoralists. The periodic nature of droughts means that there is little time during recovery when communities can replace food stocks or potentially maintain their income base.
• On going Conflicts and Political Instability- The conflicts and political instability in Somalia have posed a permanent problem to food security and development. Farming activities have been interfered with by armed violence particularly by non-state actors such as the Al-Shabaab, which have even denied people access to the markets and their homelands too, Meanwhile, the delay in elections, the fluctuation of political alliances, and the interstate tension between the federal government and the regional states have hindered the process of national planning and providing of the necessary services. The weak public protection systems are a cause too. There are very few safety nets like subsidies, feeding programs and voucher smart cards.
• Economic Issues- The main economic challenges facing Somalia include excessive lack of formal job, the weak access to banking services, and an economy that is mostly informal. There is bad infrastructure and institutions. The Agriculture Orientation Index V is less than 1 and thus agricultural investments in the country are minimal. Purchasing power has been further eroded by inflation, fluctuation of the currency and the increase in fuel and transportation prices. High dependence on food imports, particularly that of such countries as Russia, Ukraine, etc., increases the challenge of being able to afford when the global food prices are increasing.

Somalia has taken key steps in the past and continues to act toward achieving SDG 2. Let us see what efforts have been made and are still underway.

Target 2.1: End Hunger and Ensure Year-Round Access to Nutritious Food

Action-

Baxnaano Program- Safety Net National program:  This programme provides monthly cash payments (~USD 20) to about 200,000 poor households, helping them afford food and meet basic nutritional needs, especially for women and children. In June 2022 alone, over 243,000 households had received emergency funds. This program is primarily funded by the World Bank through its International Development Association (IDA), with additional support from development partners like UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) for implementation.

FAO’s Cash+ Programme:

• Combined cash payments and livelihood support have reached over 1 million people through mobile money transfers and e-vouchers
• In 2019–2020, around 40,000 farming households received support to boost their agricultural production and nutrition security

Somalia has made strong progress in delivering structured, nutrition-linked cash support, though much more is needed to reach all vulnerable households with adequate food access.

Target 2.2: End All Forms of Malnutrition

Action-

National Nutrition Strategy: The National Nutrition Strategy (2020-25) of Somalia aligns with SDG2.2 and aims at a 6-percentage points reduction in child stunting and reducing wasting to below 10 percent. It encourages exclusive breastfeeding, greater dietary diversity of young children, and maternal nutrition. More than 14,000 children were treated in 2021 with 95% recovery at more than 50 stabilization centres across the country in the year 2021. The plan also guarantees nutrition being incorporated on the national development plans with an average of 3 percent budgetary allocation on the sector being reversed to nutrition related programs.

The CMAM Surge Approach: Somalia is using the Community Management of Acute Malnutrition Surge as an administrative policy to deal with seasonal spikes in acute malnutrition. Health workers are instructed to identify the trend of increased cases early enough and act promptly, especially when there is a drought or food shortage. In a single year of 2024, more than 78000 under-five children have been healed using this system and recovery rate averaged 97% of the ailments

Target 2.3: Double Agricultural Productivity and Incomes of Small-Scale Food Producers

Action-

Kobciye Project– This project in Somalia has enabled smallholder farmers with crucial equipments such as tractors, solar-powered irrigation, drip kit, and fencing materials and empowered them with knowledge on climate-smart agriculture. As a result of these resources, farmers have been able to expand their crop diversification, achieve higher yields as well as provide produce to both local markets and school feeding programs- all of which has enhanced livelihoods and community nutrition.

IFAD Rural Livelihood Resilience Programme (RLRP): With US $31 million in funding, the RLRP trains 30,000 households in climate-smart farming, market development, financial services, and nutrition-sensitive support—prioritizing women and youth in rural areas

Target 2.4: Ensure Sustainable Food Production and Resilient Agricultural Practices

Action-

OASIS– It is a project initiated in 2023, which focuses on agroecological agriculture, including agroforestry and water harvesting, as well as composting. It educates producers and suppliers to enhance soil structure, crop security and food variety. The project assists in the creation of a sustainable food system by reversing land degradation and encouraging climate-smart farming. Local farmers and service providers are trained using a structured learning agenda, which tracks changes in soil health, crop stability, and food diversity. The project also promotes community-AVSI led Project– It assists to enhance soil through organic composting, changing crops and planting drought-resistance seeds such as maize, cowpea and fodder. The resulting effect of the practices is to make the soil more fertile, minimize soil erosion, and replenish nutrients, which leads to a more productive land that can sustain its fertility in the long importance.

Target 2.5: Preserve Genetic Diversity of Seeds, Plants, and Animals

Action

The Somaseed Project– The EU-funded Somaseed project (2016-19) conducted in collaboration with FAO and the Somali government repaired and propagated 40 local crop landraces, comprising maize, rice, cowpea, and sorghum. It has trained more than 226 seed growers and rehabilitated seed labs and provided commercial seed producer networks and certified seed systems. This has led to an increase in better, locally adjusted seed types which benefit long-term biodiversity and resilience by farmers.

The Future of Pastoralism Initiative- The Future of Pastoralism initiative, launched in April 2025 Somalia’s Ministry of Livestock, has set up Pastoral Development Hubs offering veterinary care, water access, and grazing management. So far, 35 fodder storage hubs have been built, with 25 already handed over to communities. By supporting breeding programs and improving the health of native animals like Somali goats, fat-tailed sheep, and camels, the project helps preserve valuable livestock genetic traits that are naturally adapted to Somalia’s harsh climate—safeguarding biodiversity while strengthening pastoral livelihoods.

The progress of Somalia towards the realization of Zero Hunger is a complicated but continuing development. Although the country has had to endure some dire circumstances such as droughts, conflict and fiscal limitations there has been a determination to work through various specific programs and policy initiatives. Somalia is setting the stage of a more resilient food system by expanding nutrition-focused safety nets, advancing climate-smart agriculture, and maintaining native seeds and diversity of livestock. The road can still be a long one, but these measures demonstrate a forward-thinking strategy that puts more focus on local empowerment and sustainability as well as the quality of future generations.